On June 12, a soldier of a mobile fire group shot down a cruise missile moving in the direction of Kyiv region with a machine gun, according to the Facebook page of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to the Air Force, shooting down a missile with a machine gun is an extremely difficult task.
According to a soldier of the mobile fire group, during the shelling, he and his team went to the position. At the same time, they received a radio message that the target was close.
"A few seconds later, we saw an enemy missile flying towards Vasylkiv. Without hesitation, I took my machine gun and opened fire on the target. I was thinking only one thing - I have to hit it! When I fired a round from my machine gun, I saw that the missile began to deviate from its course and descend," said the fighter of the mobile fire team.
Photo: Air Force serviceman (facebook.com/kpszsu)
He added that at that moment he was overwhelmed, but he could believe that he managed to do it only when he saw the wreckage with his own eyes.
Massive shelling of Ukraine on the night of June 12
On the night of June 12, the enemy launched a missile and air strike against Ukraine. Along with air- and ground-launched missiles, the Russian forces also used UAVs. A total of 30 air attack weapons were launched, including 3 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles.
Air Force anti-aircraft missile units, mobile fire groups, and electronic warfare systems were involved in repelling the attack.
That night, air defense managed to destroy 29 air targets, including 4 cruise missiles launched by the enemy.