Ukraine's air defences have shot down more than 445,000 Russian aerial targets since the start of the full-scale invasion, acting Defence Minister Yevheniy Khmara said on the occasion of Air Force Day, which falls on the first Sunday of August.
Khmara said the intercepted targets include Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles, Kalibr and Kh-101 cruise missiles, Iskander-M ballistic missiles, tens of thousands of Shahed drones, reconnaissance UAVs, Lancet loitering munitions and other unmanned aircraft.
The defence ministry also said Ukrainian Air Force pilots have carried out more than 38,000 combat sorties since February 24, 2022, and have destroyed more than 12,000 Russian air-attack systems, including aircraft, helicopters, missiles and drones.
Zelensky: Sky still not fully protected
President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Air Force personnel on August 2, saying that Ukraine's forces had grown stronger over the course of the war. He said the Ukrainian air shield was now among the strongest in Europe, crediting the professionalism of the country's defenders who had intercepted highly difficult targets even while operating with equipment shortfalls.
At the same time, Zelensky said Ukraine still does not have enough aircraft and air defence assets to fully protect its skies.
His remarks came after a difficult night. On August 1, Russia fired 35 missiles at Ukraine, 27 of them ballistic, and Ukraine was able to shoot down only one ballistic missile, Zelensky said.
Air Force spokesman Ihnat said on July 27 that Russia had been launching ballistic missiles more frequently in the morning hours and that ballistic missiles now make up a larger share of all aerial strike means used by Moscow.
