DONETSK, Ukraine

Ukraine's air defense systems target Russian warplanes, missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on a regular basis, said a Ukrainian army commander.

"This (air defense) system is actively used. I would like to point out that every day, every night, attacks (air and missile) on civilian settlements in Ukraine continue and the air alarm is sounding. The enemy is trying to attack our critical and civilian infrastructure, as well as civilian settlements," the commander, codenamed Krevonis, told Anadolu.


Krevonis said that his team uses Strela-10 air defense systems to combat air and missile attacks, noting that their main targets are Russian warplanes, missiles and kamikaze-type drones on the front line or those launched on cities and settlements.

"Of course, I cannot specify their location and number, but with this system, we destroyed the enemy's warplanes, missiles and UAVs," he said, adding: "The crew of our air defense system can prepare to fire in 20 seconds. This weapon can destroy a target at a distance of 5,000 meters (16,404 feet) vertically and 3,500 meters (11,483 feet) horizontally."

Now in its second year, the Russia-Ukraine war has so far killed more than 8,100 civilians, with nearly 13,500 more wounded, according to the latest UN figures.

* Writing by Burc Eruygur in Istanbul