Currently, Ukraine is waiting for modern Western Patriot PAC-3 and SAMP/T systems to shoot down the type of missile that destroyed the high-rise building in Dnipro, the spokesman for the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yuriy Ihnat said at a briefing, LB.ua reports.
"Ukraine (on 14 January - ed.) was attacked by Kh-22 missiles. There were 5 of them. Several were launched from the Kursk area. One of them was the one that hit the city of Dnipro. The rest were launched from the Sea of Azov. Then traditional missiles were used: Kh-101, Kh-555, Kalibr and guided aircraft missiles Kh-59. Out of 38 launched missiles - 25 were destroyed. I emphasize that Kh-22 missiles cannot be shot down with the means we have in service," he said.
The spokesman said that "we are talking about hundreds more missiles of Kh-22 type, that the enemy has in service".
"We handed them over to the Russians for gas debts. We also used to have them in our arsenal. As well as TU-22 M-3 aircraft. They were also disposed of, and cut into scrap metal. That is, some were given away, and some were disposed of. Those missiles are now returning to Ukraine and this has also become a meme in Russian media. And that's all you need to know about the bloodthirstiness of Russians and their "fraternal relations," the spokesman said.
Ihnat added that Russians have been using Kh-22 since the very beginning of the war against Ukraine. More than 210 missiles of this type have been launched at our territory since 24 February. Not a single missile has been destroyed.
"Perhaps they fell by themselves... In the fields, having not reached their targets. Therefore, perhaps they were included in the statistics of those shot down... The missile is high-speed, flying in the upper atmosphere. It flies fast - more than 4 thousand km per hour. Before approaching the target, it quickly descends like ballistics. Though there are several ways to launch these missiles. That is why we cannot shoot them down with the available means," he explained.
Therefore, the reports in May last year about the earlier shooting down of Kh-22 missiles were false. As it was problematic to identify the missiles in spring due to their large number.
"The systems we have in service cannot actually shoot down the Kh-22 missile. There is no such technical capability. Full stop. There is nothing to talk about," Ihnat stressed, urging not to trust Russian propaganda about the downing of the missile in Dnipro by the Ukrainian air defence forces.
According to his estimates, these missiles can be shot down only with the help of modern Patriot PAC-3 and SAMP/T systems, which are in service in Italy and France. Currently, there is information that these systems will be provided to Ukraine shortly.
"Thus, we will be able to strengthen ourselves. The only thing is that they (the systems - Ed.) will hardly be enough to cover a large territory of Ukraine, to protect all cities and all critical infrastructure facilities. But let's hope that there will be more supplies", the spokesman of the Air Forces Command of the UAF said.
Ihnat stressed that the occupiers have now announced training exercises on the actually occupied territory of Belarus. Therefore, the missile threat remains. However, the activity of enemy aircraft is currently reduced due to weather conditions.
As a result of the missile strike on Dnipro on 14 January, 40 people were killed and 75 were wounded.