The Russia-Ukraine conflict has intensified with both sides reporting significant drone and missile attacks on August 4, 2024. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed to have destroyed 162 Ukrainian drones, a Su-27 fighter jet, and 13 HIMARS rockets over a 24-hour period. Russian forces also reportedly struck a US-made Patriot air defense system’s radar station, fuel storage facilities, and enemy troop concentrations in 146 areas.On the Ukrainian side, Air Force Commander Nikolai Oleschuk reported shooting down five Russian Shahed-131/136 drones and intercepting four missile attacks targeting the Kharkiv and Poltava regions. The Ukrainian military also made a significant revelation by publicly demonstrating the launch of Storm Shadow cruise missiles from Su-24M bombers for the first time, with footage showing strikes on targets in Crimea.The conflict has seen an escalation in the use of advanced weaponry. Ukraine’s Air Forces commander stated that they have destroyed over 8,000 enemy air targets in the past 2.5 years, including hundreds of aircraft and helicopters, and thousands of cruise missiles and drones. Meanwhile, Russia claims to have significantly improved its air defense capabilities, particularly in intercepting Western-supplied cruise missiles.The ongoing attacks have resulted in civilian casualties and infrastructure damage on both sides. In the Belgorod region of Russia, a woman was reportedly killed by a Ukrainian drone strike on a residential building. In Ukraine, railway infrastructure in the Poltava region was damaged, causing significant train delays.As the conflict continues to evolve, both sides are demonstrating increased capabilities in long-range strikes and air defense. The public display of Storm Shadow missile launches by Ukraine marks a new phase in the conflict, showcasing the integration of Western-supplied advanced weaponry into their arsenal.
Key points
- Russia claims to have destroyed 162 Ukrainian drones and multiple HIMARS rockets in 24 hours.
- Ukraine publicly demonstrated the launch of Storm Shadow cruise missiles from Su-24M bombers, targeting Crimea.
- Both sides report civilian casualties and infrastructure damage from recent attacks.
- Ukraine’s Air Forces claim to have destroyed over 8,000 enemy air targets in 2.
5 years.
Contradictionsđź‘ľWhile Russia claims to have destroyed 162 Ukrainian drones, Ukraine reports shooting down only five Russian drones, suggesting a potential discrepancy in the scale of drone operations or in the reporting of successful interceptions.
