Only three out of eight Russian Iskander-K cruise missiles launched at Ukraine on the night of 31 July were shot down. This raised questions about why Ukraine’s air defense, usually effective against Kalibr and Kh-101 missiles, failed to destroy most of them, Defense Express reports.

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The key reason is the element of surprise, say the military experts from Defense Express.

“Today’s launches of ‘Iskander-K’ were carried out from Russia’s Kursk Oblasy, practically right at the border, so there was very little time to react and deploy countermeasures,” the analysis states.

The land-based Iskander launchers are harder to detect than ships launching Kalibr missiles or bombers carrying Kh-101s, since those require more flight time and are detected by intelligence before launch.

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What is known about these missiles? 

Iskander-K is a general term for cruise missiles launched from the Iskander tactical missile system. These include the 9M728 (R-500) with a range up to 500 km and the 9M729 with a range up to 1,500 km. Both have a 480 kg warhead and fly at speeds up to 900 km/h.

This year, Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate announced Russia’s approximate missile production rates. Currently, Russia can produce about 300 cruise missiles per month, including 20-30 Iskander-K. 

In 2023, a Ukrainian officer named Volodymyr shot down a Russian Su-24MR aircraft with a missile bearing the inscription: “For Artur Batiyi. A true Cossack.” It was an act of revenge for his friend, killed in a Russian assault, the Operational Command West reports. 

“This was for you, and I hope you saw it,” the soldier recalls the successful strike.

His crew has destroyed over 30 targets, such as jets, a helicopter, a cruise missile, and drones.

But the most unforgettable shot was that one in March 2023.

“That day, I received the devastating news that my friend Artur Batiy had been killed… He died in an enemy mortar attack,” the air defense officer says.

Before the mission, he signed the missile and set out on the hunt with his unit.

“After we hit the target, I looked to the sky, and my first thought was, ‘I did everything I could. That was for you, and I hope you saw it,” he adds. 

From student to hero of the sky

Before the war, Volodymyr was a student who dreamed of military service. In 2014, when his family fled occupied Donetsk, he joined the army.

Since 2020, he’s been an officer in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. His first shootdown happened at 5:30 a.m. on 24 February 2022.

“The sky turned red. The enemy was everywhere. But there was no fear, only focus,” Volodymyr says. 

Dreams of Crimea

For his heroism, Volodymyr has been awarded the Orders For Courage of II and III class, the Medal For Military Service to Ukraine, and a badge For the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft.

His dream after victory is to visit Crimea, where he once walked with his parents “to feel that we endured and reclaimed what’s ours.”

The Ukrainian Air Force’s Mirage-2000 crash occurred during an evening flight over Ukraine on 22 July, when a fighter jet suffered a sudden technical failure, forcing the pilot to eject. The incident marks the first confirmed loss of this aircraft type in Ukrainian service. The pilot survived, and no civilians were harmed on the ground, according to official statements.

Mirage fails in flight, pilot guides it away from civilians

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that the single-engine Mirage-2000-5 fighter jet experienced an in-flight malfunction during a scheduled mission. Colonel Yurii Ihnat, spokesperson for the Air Force Command, told Ukrainska Pravda that the pilot immediately alerted flight command, followed emergency protocols, and managed to steer the aircraft away from populated areas before ejecting. A rescue team quickly located the pilot, whose condition is reported as stable.

The crash occurred in open terrain. No casualties or damage were recorded on the ground. The Air Force noted that the pilot used all remaining onboard systems in an attempt to retain control before initiating the ejection sequence. Military officials stressed that such incidents, while rare, are not unprecedented in modern air forces.

A special commission has been appointed to investigate the Mirage-2000 crash and identify what triggered the failure.

Ukraine’s Mirage-2000 program under strain

As Militarnyi reports, this is the first Mirage-2000 Ukraine has lost since introducing the aircraft into combat roles. The jet had been fully modernized before its transfer from France. This includes upgrades for engaging ground targets.

The Mirage-2000 entered Ukrainian service earlier in 2025. In March, the Air Force reported that one of these fighters successfully intercepted a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile during a combined missile-and-drone attack. According to French Aid to Ukraine, the training program for Ukrainian Mirage pilots and technicians lasted six months and concluded at the end of December 2024.

Under French military assistance, Ukraine is expected to receive between 12 and 20 Mirage-2000 aircraft. Militarnyi notes that the final number may increase with possible additional deliveries from the French Air and Space Force or even Greece. The jets in Ukraine’s current fleet are capable of deploying high-precision weapons such as SCALP EG / Storm Shadow cruise missiles and AASM smart bombs.

At least 12 civilians were killed and 69 others injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past 24 hours, regional authorities reported on July 7.

Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 101 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type attack drones, as well as four S-300/400 guided missiles. Air defenses intercepted 75 drones, while another 17 likely served as radar-jamming decoys.

The drone and missile assault was countered using aviation, electronic warfare, mobile fire teams, and air defense systems, the military said.

The heaviest casualties occurred in Donetsk Oblast, where seven civilians were killed — four in Kostiantynivka, two in Druzhkivka, and one in Novohryhorivka — and 15 others were injured, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.

In Kharkiv Oblast, 27 people were injured, including three children, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov. At least three victims remain hospitalized in moderate condition, and the number may rise.

Russian forces also attacked critical and residential infrastructure in Kherson Oblast, killing two civilians and injuring nine, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.

Two more civilians were killed in Sumy Oblast in a drone strike, local authorities said. Another person was injured. In Odesa Oblast, one civilian was killed and infrastructure was damaged in an attack on the regional capital, Governor Oleh Kiper reported.

In Zaporizhzhia, at least 12 people were injured in separate attacks throughout the day, including 10 during a drone strike on the city center, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

Five civilians were injured in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast — two women and three men — in the latest wave of attacks, according to Governor Serhii Lysak.

The mass strikes come amid Russia's continued rejection of ceasefire proposals and its growing use of aerial assaults to pressure Ukrainian defenses.

Kyiv has repeated its urgent appeals to Western partners to ramp up deliveries of air defense systems to protect civilian areas from drone and missile attacks.

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The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Russian attacks across multiple Ukrainian regions over the past 24 hours have killed at least six people and injured 26 others, according to local officials. The strikes involved drones, artillery, and guided bombs, hitting residential areas and critical infrastructure.

According to Ukraine's Air Force, Ukrainian air defense hit 74 out of 107 drones launched overnight by Russia.

In Kharkiv Oblast, two people were killed and eight injured following attacks on six settlements, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. Damage was reported to houses, vehicles, and civilian infrastructure across Kharkiv, Kupiansk, and Chuhuiv districts.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces struck residential areas and civilian infrastructure in over two dozen localities, killing two people and injuring eight others, according to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin. Damage included houses, utility systems, and communications infrastructure.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, one person was killed in Vasylivka district. Governor Ivan Fedorov said Russian forces launched 375 strikes on 10 settlements, damaging houses and vehicles.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, three people were injured in Kryvyi Rih following drone strikes and artillery attacks, Governor Serhii Lysak reported. Fires broke out, and damage was recorded at a farm and in residential areas.

In Donetsk Oblast, at least one person was killed and four others injured, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. Multiple residential buildings, a church, and a pharmacy were damaged across Pokrovsk, Kramatorsk, and Bakhmut districts.

In Sumy Oblast, Russian attacks injured three civilians, regional authorities said. Nearly 80 strikes targeted 29 settlements, damaging houses, educational institutions, and public buildings.

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Witnesses reported hearing multiple blasts and observing Russian air defense systems in action.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least 23 people and injured more than 300 others over the past 24 hours, local officials said on June 25.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russian forces launched 71 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys from multiple directions, including Bryansk, Millerovo, Kursk, and occupied Crimea. Ukraine's air defenses destroyed 52 of them.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a ballistic missile attack killed at least 20 people, 18 in Dnipro and two in the Samarskyi district, in one of the deadliest single attacks in recent weeks, governor Serhii Lysak said.

Nearly 300 people were injured, and extensive damage was reported to high-rise buildings, houses, dormitories, cars, schools, hospitals, administrative offices, and a passenger train. Drone strikes overnight also hit Nikopol and caused a fire in Synelnykove district.

In Kharkiv Oblast, nine people were injured in strikes on Kharkiv city, Kupiansk, and surrounding villages, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov. Russian forces used a mix of weaponry, including air-launched rockets, glide bombs, and various drones. Civilian infrastructure was damaged, including residential buildings, houses, and an industrial hangar.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, five peope were injured in attacks across the Zaporizhzhia, Vasylivka, and Polohy districts, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported. Russian forces conducted four missile strikes on Zaporizhzhia and eight airstrikes on several towns. Around 300 drones, and over 150 artillery strikes were recorded across 13 settlements.

In Donetsk Oblast, three civilians were killed in Pokrovsk, Zoloti Prudy, and Novoiavlenka, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. 11 more were wounded in the region over the past day.

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The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

Editor's note: The story was updated after one of the injured victims died in the hospital.

Russian attacks killed at least one civilian and injured at least 27 over the past 24 hours in Ukraine, regional officials reported on June 19.

According to Ukraine's Air Force, Russian forces launched 104 Shahed-type drones and decoy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) overnight from Russian territory and occupied Crimea.

Ukrainian air defenses shot down 40 drones, while 48 disappeared from radars or were intercepted by electronic warfare.

In Kherson Oblast, nine people were injured amid heavy shelling and drone attacks on dozens of settlements, including Kherson city, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. Russian forces struck social infrastructure facilities, three apartment buildings, and 10 houses. A gas pipeline, an ambulance base, a fire station, and several vehicles were also damaged.

In Donetsk Oblast, 13 people were wounded in Russian strikes across the region, Governor Vadym Filashkin said.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, five people were injured in morning attacks on the Nikopol district, including an 11-year-old child, Governor Serhii Lysak reported. One of the victims, a 59-year-old man, later died in the hospital, Lysak said.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, one person was injured, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. Over the past day, Russian forces carried out 410 strikes on 12 settlements in the oblast, including 10 air strikes and 264 drone attacks. Additional shelling from artillery and multiple launch rocket systems damaged at least 94 houses, vehicles, and infrastructure sites.

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The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

At least four civilians were killed and 24 injured over the past day in Russian attacks across Ukraine, Ukrainian officials said on June 13.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia targeted the country with 55 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as four Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles launched from Russian territory.

Ukraine's air defenses shot down 28 drones, while 15 were intercepted by electronic warfare or disappeared from radars.

In Kherson Oblast, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said Russian troops shelled and launched drone and air strikes on dozens of settlements, including Kherson city. The attacks hit residential areas and critical infrastructure, damaging four apartment buildings and 13 houses. One person was killed and seven were wounded.

In Kharkiv Oblast, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported that seven civilians were injured, including an 11-year-old child, during Russian attacks on seven settlements. Russian forces used 16 unguided rockets, six guided bombs, and over 20 drones, including Shaheds and first-person view (FPV) units. Civilian infrastructure, including houses and factory buildings in Kupiansk, Izium, and Bohodukhiv districts, sustained significant damage.

In Sumy Oblast, two people were injured when a Russian drone struck civilian infrastructure in the Mykolaivka community, regional officials said. Over the past 24 hours, Russia carried out more than 50 attacks on 25 settlements using FPV drones, multiple-launch rocket systems, and guided bombs.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Governor Ivan Fedorov said one person was killed and three injured in Russian attacks on the region. Russian forces launched nearly 500 strikes across the region, including 283 drone attacks, mainly FPV types, and 10 air strikes.

In Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin said two civilians were killed, while five others were injured across the region.

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The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat