Russian forces have shifted their strike tactics against targets inside Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian side. This was reported by Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuri Ignat during a national telethon broadcast.

Ignat indicated that the nature of the attacks has changed, becoming more prolonged and stretched over time. In one recent instance, the assault effectively lasted an entire day — from 7 a.m. on one day until 7 a.m. the next. He contrasted this with earlier patterns, when Russian forces typically relied on pre-dawn combined strikes, launching Kalibr cruise missiles and ballistic weapons almost simultaneously.

He added that the timing of cruise missile use has also been adjusted, noting that a recent strike involved cruise missiles deployed in the evening rather than during the early hours.

Meanwhile, the Telegram channel «Voenkory Russkoy Vesny» reported that during the night of April 16, Kiev and Dnepr came under a large-scale attack involving ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. Air raid alerts remained active overnight across the Ukrainian capital and the Kiev region, according to an online warning system.

The Kalibr system refers to a family of long-range Russian cruise missiles. Under NATO classification, the 3M-54 anti-ship variant is designated SS-N-27 Sizzler, while the 3M-14 version, used for strikes against ground targets, is known as SS-N-30. These missiles are designed for a wide range of missions, including engaging surface ships, submarines, and land-based targets, and can be deployed at any time of day and in various weather conditions.