Russia deploys unprecedented amount of aircraft at night – Air Force spokesman

Russia has used an unprecedented number of aircraft for a night attack on Ukraine.

Source: Yurii Ihnat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, on air during the national joint 24/7 newscast

Quote: "Last night there was an unprecedented number of aircraft: several dozen aircraft. It is unusual that they  were in the airspace at night. These are both drones and tactical aircraft that attacked Ukraine together with the weapons we have talked about: cruise missiles and Shahed drones. Aircraft activity was high."

Details: Ihnat added that this is why the F-16 fighter jets that Ukraine is to receive should not be inferior to Russian aircraft in terms of tactical and technical characteristics.

Ihnat also explained why it is difficult for the Air Force to shoot down Shahed drones.

Quote: "There are not always means of destruction that the enemy is trying to bypass. After all, the enemy plans its strikes in advance. It tries to hit the facilities that we are defending and lays out routes in this way."

... Yes, not all of the Shahed drones [were downed by air defence – ed.]. But the enemy is choosing different directions. And attacks from different directions along different routes. Odesa and Mykolaiv oblasts were attacked by Shahed drones. And the missiles were destroyed in Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava and Khmelnytskyi oblasts."

Background: Russian forces attacked Ukraine with air-to-surface cruise missiles and attack drones on the night of 17-18 September, with Ukrainian defenders downing 18 drones and 17 missiles.

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