Over the past week, Russia has launched over 800 KAB-guided aerial bombs, nearly 460 attack drones, and more than 20 missiles, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov. 24.
“The air raid siren has sounded almost daily across Ukraine this week. Only last night, our air defense forces managed to shoot down about 50 attack drones,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram, sharing a video showing Russian attacks across the country.
On the morning of Nov. 21, Russia unveiled a new intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), dubbed "Oreshnik," in an attack targeting the city of Dnipro in eastern Ukraine.
“Ukraine is not a testing ground for weapons. Ukraine is a sovereign, independent state. Yet Russia persists in its attempts to destroy our people, spread fear and panic, and weaken us,” Zelensky said.
He also reiterated the urgent need for bolstered air defenses. “Ukraine needs more air defense systems, and we are working on this with our partners. It is crucial to strengthen the protection of our sky,” he said.
On Nov. 22, Zelensky instructed Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to engage with international allies to acquire advanced air defense capabilities.
The IRBM attack followed Ukraine’s reported first successful strike on a military target within Russian territory using U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles.
Unlike cruise missiles, IRBMs are guided only in the initial phase of launch, making them less precise. However, their exceptional speed — often exceeding 3,200 kilometers per hour as they near their targets — makes them a formidable threat.
Chris York
