A Ukrainian Air Force spokesman gave a briefing to reporters on Russia's bombing of Kyiv today. He provided significant details, such as the missiles used, their delivery system, and search and rescue operations.
Russia deployed several X101 missiles, pictured here, which were launched by Russian Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers. The Tu-95, pictured here, is the equivalent of the U.S. Army's WW II B-29, dubbed the Superfortress.
The X101 missile is capable of traveling up to nearly 3,500 miles. The U.S. has denied Ukraine similar, longest-rockets for fear that it might use them to strike the Russian homeland, which Ukraine has sworn it would not do. The X101 can fly as high as 6,000 meters with a maximum cruising speed of 270 meters per second. Its altitude and velocity render it less vulnerable to air defense radars.
Each missile is propelled by its own engine and can adjust its trajectory in flight to correct its targeting. The New Voice of Ukraine also reports that Russia "most likely" launched the missiles from the Caspian Sea region, where Russia has an airbase. "Some of these missiles were intercepted by Kyiv’s air defense system, but not all," writes the NV.
The missiles struck Kyiv at about 6:30 a.m. One hit a nine-story residential building near a metro station in the city's central area. One death has been confirmed, and four persons were wounded, including a 7-year-old girl who was pulled out of the rubble. Her mother, a Russian citizen, was also rescued.
As noted here earlier and as the NV relates, "For the past several days, the Russian military has increased its usage of cruise missiles to target those Ukrainian regions that [were] considered to be relatively safe – like Kyiv, Cherkasy, or Rivne Oblasts."
Russia has established a rather unique and uniquely traumatizing pattern of warmongering — more terrorism than war, hence more dead civilians than soldiers or targeted military facilities. Vladimir Putin has violated every "civilized" rule of war known to modern man. The G7 leaders began their meeting today in Germany; they're discussing the possibility of more sanctions on Russia oil — which would kill not one Russian.