Russian missiles target Ukrainian regions, commander says barrage repelled

KYIV, July 26 (Reuters) – Russia targeted the regions of Kyiv, Khmelnytskiy and Kirovohrad in a second missile strike on Ukraine on Wednesday, and its air force chief said the barrage had been repelled.

Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk, writing on Telegram, said anti-aircraft units had downed 36 targets – three Kalibr cruise missiles and 33 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles.

A later statement indicated that information was still being collated on Kindzhal missiles also used in the attack.

“The day turned out to be difficult, but thanks to the harmonious work of all those defending the skies, we repelled this attack! Thanks to everyone!” Oleshchuk wrote.

There were no immediate reports of damage from the missile launches or anti-aircraft activity.

Authorities in the western Khmelnytskiy region confirmed the sound of explosions.

“We have registered high-speed targets, probably also ballistic missiles, the enemy is using different weapons types,” air force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said in televised comments.

He said some missiles had travelled towards the city of Starokostiantyniv, the site of a Ukrainian military airfield. He said the missiles had taken a highly convoluted route, even making a 180-degree turn at one point.

Ukrainian air defences thwarted an earlier attack on Wednesday afternoon, shooting down two Kalibr cruise missiles over the central city of Vinnytsia that appeared to have been fired by a submarine in the Black Sea, the air force said.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that while Ukraine had recaptured half the territory that Russia initially seized, a Ukrainian counteroffensive was in its early days and would take shape over “several months.”

Reporting by Olena Harmash and Anna Pruchicka; writing by Tom Balmforth and Ron Popeski; editing by Toby Chopra, William Maclean and Mark Heinrich

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