Kyiv under S-400 fire: how Russia has turned air defence missiles into a weapon of terror and why they keep coming
Russia attacked Ukraine with 24 ballistic missiles on the night of 4-5 August, which the Ukrainian Air Force grouped under the combined Iskander-M/S-400 designation. Kyiv Oblast bore the brunt of the strike. With Patriot interceptor stocks running low, Ukrainian air defences were unable to bring down a single missile.
What makes the S-400 particularly notable is that it was designed as an air defence system to intercept incoming missiles, not to strike ground targets. It has nevertheless been repurposed by Russia, which has ramped up production, extended its range to Kyiv, and significantly expanded its strike capabilities.
Read on this Ukrainska Pravda story to learn what these missiles are, why they travel at such high speeds, and why their inaccuracy makes them especially dangerous to the civilian population.