Russia attacks air defense command post in Ukraine's rear

Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces attacked Ukraine's air defense headquarters near the central city of Dnipro and several other locations.

On December 3, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that its military used missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to attack the command post of the air defense warning and control center of the Ukrainian air force command near Dnipro.

In addition to the air defense command post in the Ukrainian rear, Russian forces also attacked fuel depots near the city of Mirgorod, Poltava province, and the provincial capital Khmelnitsky of the same name, an ammunition depot in Mykolaiv province, and 107 Ukrainian military positions and military equipment. The Russian Defense Ministry has not yet released details of the damage caused by these attacks.

Locations of Ukrainian localities attacked by Russian missiles and UAVs on December 3. Graphics: RYV — Locations of Ukrainian localities attacked by Russian missiles and UAVs on December 3. Graphics: *RYV*

The Ukrainian Air Force announced earlier that day that Russia had launched 12 UAVs and a cruise missile overnight. Ten of the UAVs were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses, a ratio that Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuri Ignat hailed as "perfect".

The service admitted it failed to intercept the Russian cruise missile, but said it did not hit its target.

The West and Ukraine have recently predicted that Russia will intensify its attacks in the winter to cause maximum damage to the enemy. According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Russia has stockpiled a large number of missiles before the winter and is launching attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on November 28 that his country's air defenses intercepted 90 percent of the missiles and drones fired during Russia's recent offensive. Zelensky called on the West to provide more support to help Ukraine cope with the attacks during the winter.

Ukraine said Russia began using Geran-2 UAVs painted black and covered with radar-absorbing material in late November. Mr. Ignat admitted that this was a big problem for Ukraine's air defense, especially at night.