Russians hunting for Ukraine’s operational airfields, hit one near Kropyvnytskyi – Air Force spox

Overnight on 4 June, two Russian missiles hit an airfield outside Kropyvnytskyi in central Ukraine. Air Force Command spokesman Yurii Ihnat says Ukraine needs more air defense capabilities across the country to enhance protection against enemy missile attacks as the operational airfields remain a ‘delicacy’ for the enemy. He said it on the national telethon, according to Ukrinform.

Ukraine downs 4 of 6 cruise missiles, 3 of 5 Shahed drones in Russia’s pre-dawn attack (updated)

Describing the Russian air attack in the early hours of 4 June, he said:

“This time it was six warplanes firing off six missiles, although it could have been much more. So it’s a missile per plane. Also, there were five attack drones from the northern direction, launched at Sumy Oblast, where damage was inflicted on infrastructure. As for cruise missiles, unfortunately, indeed, not all of them were destroyed, out of six, four were downed by air defenses, and two, unfortunately, hit our operational airfield near Kropyvnytskyi,” Ihnat said.

Ihnat added:

“We have dozens of operational airfields. Unfortunately, this is a tasty treat for the enemy, as Ukrainian aviation does not give them peace. They usually ‘destroy’ it in their news coverage, claiming to have destroyed five, sometimes 10 planes, every week. In the end, they already ‘destroyed’ the entire Air Force eight times, probably. In our country, the Air Force operates at these dozens of operational airfields. Aviation has already carried out more than 30 sorties, over 10 airstrikes in the past day and on this day, too. Of course, the enemy doesn’t like this,” spokesman explained.

According to the spokesman, Ukraine needs Western multipurpose fighter jets to “not give the enemy a chance to even approach our borders, drop guided air bombs on us.”

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