The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the first phase, conducted overnight from 7th to 8th July, comprised four Kh-101 cruise missiles fired from four Tu-95MS aircraft over Saratov Oblast, and two Iskander-M ballistic missiles launched from Kursk Oblast and the occupied Crimea. Ukrainian air defences successfully intercepted three Kh-101 missiles over Zhytomyr and Cherkasy Oblasts.
The second, more formidable phase involved a total of 38 aerial attack means, according to the General Staff. These included:
- 1 Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missile fired from a MiG-31K aircraft;
- 1 Zircon hypersonic cruise missile;
- 4 Iskander-M ballistic missiles;
- 13 Kh-101 cruise missiles launched from Tu-95MS bombers;
- 14 Kalibr cruise missiles fired from two naval units;
- 2 Kh-22 cruise missiles launched from Tu-22M3 bombers;
- 3 Kh-59 or Kh-69 guided missiles launched by tactical aviation.
Ukrainian air defences reportedly destroyed 30 of these missiles:
- 1 Kinzhal ballistic missile;
- 4 Iskander-M ballistic missiles;
- 11 Kh-101 cruise missiles;
- 12 Kalibr cruise missiles;
- 3 Kh-59 or Kh-69 guided missiles.
The main target was the Artem missile factory in Kyiv, which produces warheads for air-to-surface and air-to-air missiles. The facility was hit by five to seven missiles. Unfortunately, a Kh-101 missile also struck a toxicology laboratory in a small building near the Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital. The laboratory was destroyed, and the hospital’s facade was severely damaged by the blast wave and debris. Latest reports indicate that two people were killed and ten injured in this attack.
In Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district, a massive fire engulfed an area of 1500 square metres, which was extinguished around noon. This incident resulted in five fatalities and four injuries. Additionally, three power substations in the Ukrainian capital were hit, leading to significant damage or destruction. A nearby office building adjacent to the Ukrainian Ground Forces Command was also heavily damaged. The rescue operation involved 372 responders and 69 units of basic and specialised rescue equipment.
