"Landmark event": the Odessa air defense shot down a four-ton Iskander ballistic missile for the first time in a long time

In Odessa, air defense systems shot down a ballistic missile "Iskander" on July 18. This was reported by the spokesperson of the Ukrainian Navy Dmitry Pletenchuk on Facebook.

The "Iskander" missiles are extremely difficult to shoot down due to their high speed and ballistic trajectory. In recent months, Russian aggressors have been terrorizing Odessa and the region with these missiles from the occupied Crimea. Unfortunately, in 2024, these missiles very often reached their targets, causing damage to the region's port infrastructure and other objects.

Lately, the Russians have been using these missiles with cluster warheads, which consist of 54 individual charges. The missiles explode above the target and cause damage over a large radius. In particular, at the end of April, the Odesa Law Academy Students' Palace was attacked, resulting in casualties, injuries, and damage to the Academy's rector Sergey Kivalov.

The Iskander missiles weigh 3800 kg and have a warhead of up to 480 kg, the weight may vary depending on the warhead. The Navy does not specify the exact type of missile the Russians used to strike. The neutralization of the ballistic missile "Iskander" over Odessa for the first time in a long time may indicate an enhancement of air defense capabilities.