Ukrainian Air Force explains when air raid siren is sounded

OLHA HLUSHCHENKO — FRIDAY, 28 OCTOBER 2022, 01:32

The spokesman of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Colonel Yurii Ihnat, explained when Ukraine sounds an air alert siren.

Source: Yurii Ihnat on air during an interview with Ukrainian Radio

Details: The air raid siren is sounded in a number of cases. It is always on when Ukrainian civilians, military, and assets are in danger. The alarm may be related to a missile attack, for example, one carried out from the Black Sea or the Sea of ​​Azov, or when strategic aviation planes —  Tu-160 or Tu-195 bombers — take off. 

On 27 October, an air raid siren was sounded because two such bombers, which are carriers of Kh-101 or Kh-555 missiles, entered the combat course, from which they usually strike with these missiles.

Hence when a Russian bomber takes off, the Ukrainian Air Force immediately receives operational information that there is a high probability of a missile launch. In this case the air raid siren is sounded. The Kh-101 or Kh-555 missiles have a long flight range of over 5,500 km, so they threaten the entire territory of Ukraine.

Another threat is the takeoff of MiG-31K aircraft, which happened this Thursday. This aircraft is the kind that carries a Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missile, which Russian troops may also use.

The operation of the Ukrainian air defence was successful at the beginning of the previous day. A kamikaze drone attack lasted from 22:00 till 00:30 on 27 October. Ukrainian forces shot down 19 drones in Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Vinnytsia oblasts.

There were three large groups of drones moving in their respective directions. It is not possible to shoot down all of them, of course, and there were several strikes; however, the Ukrainian Air Force achieved an excellent result today: over 85% of the incoming drones were shot down.

Sometimes the Air Force receives information that anti-aircraft missiles will be used against ground targets, such as S-300 missiles. In these cases, air raid sirens are also sounded.

The situation is similar when rocket systems are involved. When it is known that the Russian forces are about to use rocket artillery targeting certain areas, the air raid siren is also sounded. 

This means that an air raid siren is not always accompanied by strikes and destruction.

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