However, just as soon as the bomber formations took off from Soviet airfields, German radar dispatched droves of Bf 109 fighter aircraft from JG 3 and JG 52 to intercept, resulting in the destruction of more than 120 Soviet aircraft by German fighters. Anti-air emplacements only served to knock down more aircraft as the Soviet armada began their ground-attack run. The July 5th Kharkov Air Raid as this event can perhaps best be described resulted in not only the failure to affect German air dominance in the Kharkov area in preparation for Operation Citadel, but also in the damaging loss of Soviet aircraft, leaving the air free for German aircraft in the area for some time.