"Despite daily enemy attacks, the Air Force, together with all Defense Forces, continues to hold the sky over Ukraine. In 2024, air defense destroyed over 1,300 missiles of various types, 11,200 strike drones, and 3,200 reconnaissance UAVs of operational-tactical level", - stated the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on December 31.
It is noted that in 2024, the enemy used significantly more missiles and strike UAVs against Ukraine's critical infrastructure than last year. A large number of drones imitating real "Shahed" UAVs appeared. This is how the enemy tries to complicate the air situation as much as possible, overload Ukraine’s air defense, and exhaust the defenders of the sky.
Additionally, enemy aircraft launched tens of thousands of guided bombs on frontline territories, erasing Ukrainian frontline cities and villages.
During this year, the enemy increased both the production and use of ballistic missiles against Ukraine, including North Korean KN-23 models.
It is also reported that Ukraine’s air defense shot down 40 enemy aircraft and 6 helicopters this year. The Air Force conducted over 20,000 sorties throughout the year, nearly 9,000 of them involving combat use of Western weaponry.
"On various frontlines, Air Force warriors courageously and heroically defend Ukrainian soil side by side with comrades from the Ground Forces, Air Assault Forces, and Marine Corps. For almost three years of this large-scale war, our warriors have been holding back the russian invasion, fighting for the state's future and for the Ukrainian people. Ukraine still urgently needs maximum Western support, supplies of weapons, air defense systems, and modern multirole aircraft to defeat the enemy and reliably secure the sky over Ukraine!", - the statement added.