Yuriy Ignat, the spokesman of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, explained how exactly the Russians have changed the tactics of shelling Ukraine since the beginning of spring.
He told about this on the air of the telethon.
"Everybody got used to hearing about the massive shelling of entire Ukraine since the fall and winter when the enemy actually used its entire strategic arsenal of cruise missiles and launched them at the objects of our critical infrastructure. Now that has changed. Since spring, the enemy primarily attacks the southern, eastern and northern regions. Wherever they can reach with that weapon, they attack there," he said.
A few months ago, the Central Intelligence Agency reported that Russia has seven thousand S-300 missiles in storage. But, according to Ignat, the occupiers have already used many of them.
"It is necessary to understand the condition of these missiles if they are ready for use. How were they stored, did they go rancid? Therefore, it is impossible to say exactly how many of them are capable of fighting. It has happened more than once that during the use of S-300, they were found on the territory of Russia. They did not arrive," the spokesman explained.
He also said that the Russians could produce missiles for the S-300 and S-400. There is also information that they have resumed production of Kh-50 missiles — an analogue of the Kh-101 missile.
"Perhaps they took it up because they had something to do with it and perhaps because it is cheaper," he clarified, adding that the X-50 can be shot down by means of air defense.
- Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion and as of March 10, 2023, Russia has fired 821 cruise and ballistic missiles at Ukraine. Since October 2022, the Russians have carried out 15 mass missile attacks on the territory of Ukraine, mainly on energy infrastructure facilities.
- On March 18, the representative of the GUR Ministry of Defense Andriy Yusov stated that Russia will no longer be able to influence the Ukrainian economy or logistics with its missile attacks.