After the large-scale Ukrainian strike on Russian airfields, Russia was preparing an Iskander missile attack on Kyiv, but Ukraine’s Defense Forces launched a preemptive strike on the launchers in Bryansk Oblast.

Four days after the airfield attack, units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in coordination with the Security Service and other units of the Defense Forces, launched a missile strike on a Russian missile unit concentration area.

“The 26th missile brigade of the Russian military, operating from the area of Klintsy in Bryansk Oblast, was preparing to strike one of the Ukrainian population centers—most likely Kyiv,” the Ukrainian report states.

Due to effective intelligence and coordinated action by the Ukrainian units, the intended targets were successfully hit. 

“One Russian missile launcher detonated, and two others were likely damaged,” the statement adds.

The extent of the damage is still being verified.

The General Staff emphasized that the timely and effective combat actions by Ukraine’s defenders helped prevent civilian casualties.

The Russian Iskander-M ballistic missile carries a conventional warhead weighing nearly 800 kilograms.  Ukraine counters the missiles with the US-supplied Patriot system. Russia recently modernized the Iskander-M to make interception more difficult: it can now deploy radar decoys and perform evasive maneuvers during its terminal flight phase. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that “with every new strike, with every delay of diplomacy, Russia is showing the middle finger to the entire world—to all those who still hesitate to increase pressure on it.” 

Moscow strikes cities while pretending to pursue “peace initiatives.” In response, Ukraine is accelerating the production of ultra-fast missiles. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ordered separate funding to be allocated to Ukraine’s ballistic missile program.

President Zelenskyy addressed the situation in his evening speech, following the record-breaking Russian strike. Russian ruler Vladimir Putin and his circle have no intention of ending the war, according to intelligence, he said.

“On the contrary, there’s plenty of evidence that they are preparing new offensive operations. Russia is counting on a long war,” the Ukrainian president claimed.

During the meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff, Zelenskyy ordered Ukraine’s leadership to thoroughly analyze the consequences of the Russian strikes, their drone tactics, and responses.

“I also ordered separate funding to be allocated for our Ukrainian ballistic missile program — to speed up missile production,” Zelenskyy said.

Earlier, Yurii Ihnat, spokesperson for the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reported that Russia has upgraded its Iskander-M ballistic missiles to make them harder to intercept.

Each upgraded missile can now deploy radar-decoying countermeasures during its final approach to the target. According to Ihnat, this modernization has reduced the effectiveness of the Patriot air defense systems against Russian ballistic missiles.

“I believe our partners are working on this — to improve the system in response,” Ihnat stated.

Earlier, Umerov met with representatives of Raytheon, one of the key producers of Patriot systems, the only weapons in Ukraine that are capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.

The top agenda issue was Kyiv’s urgent need for additional air defense systems and missiles.