There have been ongoing reports of a significant air attack against Ukraine since 1400 EST today. An initial wave of Shahed-136 drones struck multiple targets in Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts and most notably, Lyiv.
However, in the last three hours large waves of Russian Long Range Aviation (LRA) aircraft have taken off and launched air-to-ground munitions against targets throughout Ukraine, focusing on Kharkiv.
At 1900 EST, eight Tu-95ms bombers took off from Olenya airfield and flew towards Ukraine. These aircraft were dispersed to the Kola Peninsula after multiple Russian airbases in the Western and Southern Military Districts were struck early in the war.
By 1930 EST, those bombers were reported to be over firing positions over Engels, Saratov and Volgodonsk, Rostov. Air raid sirens were sounded in Poltava, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzia, Sumy, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk Oblasts. The first impacts were registered in Kharkiv at 2206 EST. Russian S-300 missiles in surface-to-surface mode were also fired towards Kharkiv.
As of this publication, nine Tu-22M3 bombers have also been spotted in Russian airspace, with at least two flying near Voronezh.
In summary, beginning at 1400 EST, at least 35 Shahed-136 drones targeted Western Ukraine, especially Lyiv. Then, at around 1900 EST, Russian manned bombers targeted Eastern and Central Ukraine with air-to-ground missiles. Ukrainian military bloggers are reporting Kh-101 and Kh-555 impacts.
This is developing.
