23 December 2025
Ukrainian air defense demonstrated extremely high efficiency during another Russian missile attack. Most of the enemy missiles were destroyed on approach, and the rest did not reach their intended targets.
This was stated by Yuriy Ignat, head of the communications department of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He commented on the results of repelling the air strike on Ukraine in the Telegram channel.
According to Yuriy Ignat, during the attack on Ukraine, the enemy used 35 missiles of various types, of which 34 were intercepted by air defense forces. He emphasized that the key role in repelling the strike this time was played by F-16 fighters, which actually destroyed all the missiles that fell into their area of responsibility.
Regarding the situation with the Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles. In cases where they were not intercepted by Patriot means, none of the missiles reached their targets. This, according to the Air Force, indicates the comprehensive work of the air defense and effective interaction between the various components of the air defense.
The head of the communications department also explained that Ukrainian air defense is built on the principle of zonal-object cover . The priority is to protect critical infrastructure facilities, large cities and units of the Defense Forces on key areas of the front. At the same time, he admitted that given the current scale of the war, it is impossible to completely close the sky, and the enemy is trying to use existing gaps for breakthroughs.
The Air Force emphasizes that the current results of repelling the attack indicate the growth of Ukrainian air defense capabilities and the professional work of pilots and calculations of anti-aircraft systems, despite the complexity and intensity of air strikes from Russia.
Earlier, OBOZ.UA reported that the Russian occupation army again terrorized Ukraine with drone attacks on the night of December 23. The invaders once again launched dozens of missiles and hundreds of Shahed-type kamikaze drones. Air defense forces destroyed 621 targets.
In total, the radio-technical troops of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine detected and escorted 673 air attack vehicles – 38 missiles and 635 UAVs of various types.
“He emphasized that the key role in repelling the strike this time was played by F-16 fighters, which actually destroyed all the missiles that fell into their area of responsibility.”
“No, he doesn’t need F-16s now.”
Biden, February 2023.
How far along could Ukrainian air defenses be if the Biden administration hadn’t been so deeply cowardly?