Russia's missile misfire: Iskaners and drones strike Kyiv
On Thursday, February 6, the Russians attempted to strike Ukraine with an Oresnik missile, but according to media reports, the attack was unsuccessful. However, the strike was postponed, resulting in missile attacks on Ukraine (Kyiv and Kryvyi Rih) with Iskander-M rockets and numerous Shahed drones.
The attempt to attack Kyiv on February 6 did not go as planned for the Russians, according to media reports. Western and Ukrainian sources reported at the time that the Russian Federation had launched an Oreshnik missile, which exploded shortly after launch—still on Russian territory.
The Russian Federation army struck Kyiv
However, the Russians did not relent and struck Kyiv during a subsequent attack attempt—this time successfully. As reported by the Ukrainian agency Unian, in the attack carried out overnight from February 11 to 12, ballistic missiles Iskander-M and 123 Shahed drones were used. The press service of the Ukrainian Air Force reported that the aggressor launched six missiles from the Bryansk region and one from Crimea. Ukrainians shot down six out of the seven missiles.
It should be noted that the Iskander-M used in the recent attack is a completely different weapon from the Oreshnik, which the Russians had previously aimed at Kyiv. The latter system is most likely based on the RS-26 system, and its initial launch weight can reach up to 110,000 pounds. The range of the Oreshnik is estimated at 3,700 miles, with standard combat equipment expected to consist of four warheads, each with a yield of 0.3 megatons.
Russia used Iskanders
Meanwhile, the Iskander-M system launcher fires missiles with a payload weighing up to 11,000 pounds. These missiles are over 23 feet long, with a diameter of just under 3 feet. After launch, they can reach hypersonic speeds—over 5,000 mph. Due to such high speeds, the Iskander-M is a weapon that is difficult to defend against; however, as demonstrated in the military operations conducted in Ukraine, it is not invincible.
The high precision of the Iskander-M system missiles is also significant. This powerful ammunition hits the designated target with high accuracy. Accuracy, expressed in terms of Circular Error Probable (CEP), is about 30 yards for this weapon.
