Russia Launches Massive Missile and Drone Attack on Ukraine; Mirage 2000 Fighters Engage in First Combat Mission
Ukraine confirms the downing of 134 Russian missiles and drones, including 100 Shahed UAVs, with the support of Mirage 2000 and F-16 fighters.
During the night of Friday, March 7, the Russian Armed Forces launched a massive drone and missile attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
For the first time, Mirage 2000 fighters, recently delivered by France, participated in air defense operations, marking their first confirmed combat mission, according to the Ukrainian military command.
Scale of the Attack
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia used a combination of aerial, ground, and naval-launched weapons to target critical energy infrastructure, primarily focusing on Ukraine’s gas extraction industry.
Ukrainian air defense forces tracked and engaged 261 incoming aerial threats, including:
67 missiles of various types:
- 35 Kh-101/Kh-55cm cruise missiles
- 8 Kalibr cruise missiles
- 3 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles
- 4 S-300 air defense missiles (used in ground attack mode)
- 8 Kh-59/69 air-launched guided missiles
194 attack drones and decoys, primarily Shahed UAVs and other types.
Ukrainian Air Defense Response
Ukraine’s air defense forces, including anti-aircraft units, electronic warfare (EW) systems, and mobile fire groups, engaged the attack.
Fighter aircraft, including F-16s and Mirage 2000s, also participated.
"The French fighters, which arrived in Ukraine a month ago, intervened for the first time in defense against an enemy air assault," stated the Ukrainian military command.
Confirmed Interceptions
Kyiv reported the destruction of 134 Russian aerial threats, including:
✔ 25 Kh-101/Kh-55cm cruise missiles
✔ 8 Kalibr cruise missiles
✔ 1 Kh-59/69 missile
✔ 100 Shahed drones and other UAVs
Additionally:
- 10 Russian missiles (not counted in interception statistics) failed to reach their targets.
- 86 drones missed their intended targets due to navigation signal disruptions.
Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the strikes were specifically aimed at gas and electricity infrastructure supporting Ukraine’s defense industry and claimed that all targets were successfully hit.
Ukrainian Mirage 2000 Fighters: First Combat Deployment
The first batch of Mirage 2000 fighters arrived in Ukraine on Thursday, February 6, according to French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu.
Ukrainian pilots, trained for several months in France, flew the aircraft to Ukraine.
Mirage 2000 Capabilities and Upgrades
The Mirage 2000 becomes the second Western-built fighter in Ukraine’s arsenal, following the arrival of F-16s.
Ukraine received the Mirage 2000-5F, originally designed for interception and air defense missions. The aircraft is equipped with:
- RDY radar
- 30mm cannons
- MICA IR and EM medium-range missiles (infrared- and radar-guided, respectively)
Before delivery, the Mirage 2000-5F underwent electronic upgrades, including:
✔ New electronic warfare (EW) systems
✔ Link 16 data link integration
✔ Air-to-ground strike capability
Now equipped with:
- SCALP EG long-range cruise missiles
- AASM Hammer guided bombs
These weapons have already been used successfully by Ukraine’s Su-24, Su-27, and MiG-29 fighter jets.
AUTOR
Apasionado por la aviación, la historia, la política y la defensa. Editor-in-Chief en Aviacionline Defensa, combinando estos conocimiento para ofrecer un contenido valioso sobre temas estratégicos y de seguridad.
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