Ukraine fires Storm Shadow missiles safely from 90km away — Defence Express

Ukrainian Air Force Commander has released footage showing the first launch of Storm Shadow cruise missiles from a Su-24 frontline bomber, Defence Express reported on Aug. 4. The video, captured over the Olshanska penal colony No. 53 in Mykolaiv Oblast, shows the launch area being approximately 80-90 km from the front line. Analysts note that this range, considering the Su-24's lack of rapid anti-aircraft maneuvers, is relatively safe.

The target of the attack remains unknown. However, Defence Express calculated the distance from the launch point to significant targets in occupied Crimea: about 270 km to the Saky airfield and 310-320 km to Belbek and the Sevastopol Bay. The cruise missiles typically follow a complex route to avoid air defense systems, which means a Storm Shadow launched at Saky air base from Olshanska would travel more than 300 km.

The commander shared this video in celebration of the Air Force's 20th anniversary, marked on the first Sunday of August. The Storm Shadow missile has a range of approximately 560 kilometers and weighs 1,300 kilograms, designed to destroy heavily fortified shelters and bunkers. Reports suggest these missiles were used to strike the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol in September 2023.