Early in the morning of September 20 local time, Russia launched a massive airstrike against Ukraine, using over 600 units of airborne weapons and missiles, including ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urgently reported on social media that the Russian army used 40 missiles and about 580 drones to launch an overnight attack on Ukraine.
A burning game?
According to the information of the Ukrainian Air Force, the Russian Army has launched eight "Iskander-M" ballistic missiles (there is also speculation that it may be the same type of North Korea), the T-95MS strategic bomber and T-160 strategic bomber together, launched 32 Kh-101 cruise missiles, and also deployed 579 Iranian "Little Motor" Shahde-136 suicide drones.
The Russian military's tactics are simple and rough, but unusually effective. Hundreds of drones fly simultaneously from Kursk, Bryansk and other directions, including the "killer" responsible for the attack, as well as the visually seductive "trick" on the Ukrainian side. Describe this scene as a “crab transit.”Their purpose is not to strike precisely, but to create chaos.
This tactic is to completely flood the Ukrainian air defense radar and fire channel. When your defense system is busy dealing with these cheap targets, the real killing is just beginning. This is a typical saturated attack, overwhelming with quantity.
Ukraine’s air defense system did its best. The war newspaper claimed to have shot down an astonishing 552 drones, and the interception rate seemed to be very high. Replace a drone that may only be worth a few thousand dollars with a valuable anti-aircraft missile, this account is a loss no matter how you calculate it.
The war has grown into a consumption war, and this unequal exchange is silently draining out Ukraine’s already limited air defense resources. More than 20 drones and several missiles broke the line of defense.and directly The 10 targets.and its The debris also affected 10 other areas.。
In this case, the Ukrainian Air Force's so-called "shot down target" data, It is likely that some of the military bases, military factories, military camps and ground buildings hit by missiles and drones were also counted as the "interception" results.。
After all, under such a massive bombardment, the Ukrainian air defense system faces unprecedented challenges, and it is difficult to really effectively intercept all coming targets.
The western mark.
Under the cover of the drone crowd, the real protagonist appeared. Eight "Iskander-M" ballistic missiles with high-speed and orbital capacity, and 32 Kh-101 cruise missiles capable of ultra-low altitude penetration, roaring from places like Crimea and Yeisk.
These high-tech weapons have brought huge trouble to Ukraine's defense. Especially for ballistic missiles, the interception success rate is pitifully low, with 8 missiles Only 2 were stoppedIt exposed a major weakness in the Ukrainian air defense system, which is undoubtedly a strong Russian response to the recent counterattack of Ukraine.
Ironically, however, these iron-cut, mud-like Russian blades, whose sharpness blinked in the shadow of the West, found that among the remains of these missiles, We found more than 1,000 key parts from 19 different countries.This is not an isolated confrontation at all, but a dark war in the global supply chain.
What is even more striking is that in these parts, The proportion made in the United States is as high as 67%, Japan and Germany are also impressively listed, each accounting for 7%. They transit through third countries such as Turkey and Kazakhstan, skillfully circumvent sanctions, and eventually flow into Russian military factories.
This forms an absurd closing circle: the West supplies defensive weapons to Ukraine, on the one hand, and on the other. Its state-of-the-art technology has unintentionally provided the core driving force for missiles targeting Ukraine.Zelensky called for the expansion of energy, financial and technological sanctions against Russia.
Cold lines of defense and screams of despair.
A cold military game, eventually projected on civilians in the most cruel way. In the city of Dnipro, a high-rise residential building was directly hit and innocent lives died in the sleep. It is that the Russian military even used it. collection of ammunition., which makes the number of civilian casualties even more shocking.
The models and interception data of advanced weapons on the battlefield form the strongest contrast with the fragmented homes of ordinary people and the disappearance of fresh lives, clearly highlighting the cruel reality of war.
Zelensky spoke on social media and was even tired. Ukraine’s air defense system is at its limit in high-intensity confrontationHe urged the West to provide more advanced Air Defense Missiles, Electronic Interference Equipment and Drone Reaction Technology。
This is not just a list of military demands, but rather a complaint – that behind every delayed delivery system there may be more innocent casualties. Poland and NATO allies have deployed warplanes, but the main task is to strengthen their airspace alert.。
This cautious, self-protected gesture, in contrast to the saturated strikes and humanitarian disasters that the Ukrainian front is undergoing, also highlights Ukraine’s sense of isolation in the situation.
conclusion
The night of terror on September 20 was not just a tactical victory or defeat; it was like a presbyter, reflecting the complex faces of generational warfare: the cost imbalance brought by the drone bees, the huge gaps in technological sanctions in the context of globalization, and the fate of individuals who were ruthlessly crushed under the enormous story of the battlefield.
What this attack left behind was far more than ruins and scars. It poses an acute question to the entire international community: the future, The way to peace may be not just how to intercept missiles, but how to really cut off the technology supply chain and economic vitality behind them.。
References:
Russian Defense Ministry: Ukrainian military lost 1,1515 soldiers during special military operations day and night - Russian satellite news agency-2025-9-21
Russia launches massive airstrikes - Shenzhen News Network 2025-9-21