Kyiv [Ukraine], May 7: Ukraine's air force claimed Saturday to have downed a Russian hypersonic missile over Kyiv using newly acquired American Patriot defence systems, the first known time the country has been able to intercept one of Moscow's most modern missiles. Air Force commander MykolaOleshchuk said in a Telegram post that the Kinzhal-type ballistic missile had been intercepted in an overnight attack on the Ukrainian capital earlier in the week. It was also the first time Ukraine was known to have used the Patriot defence systems.
"Yes, we shot down the 'unique' Kinzhal," Oleshchuk wrote. "It happened during the night-time attack on May 4 in the skies of the Kyiv region." Oleshchuk said the Kh-47 missile was launched by a MiG-31K aircraft from Russian territory and was shot down with a Patriot missile.
The Kinzhal is one of the latest and most advanced Russian weapons. The Russian military says the air-launched ballistic missile has a range of up to 2,000 kilometres (about 1,250 miles) and flies at 10 times the speed of sound, making it hard to intercept.
A combination of hypersonic speed and a heavy warhead allows the Kinzhal to destroy heavily fortified targets, like underground bunkers or mountain tunnels. The Ukrainian military has previously admitted to lacking assets to intercept the Kinzhals. "They were saying that the Patriot is an outdated American weapon, and Russian weapons are the best in the world," Air Force spokesman YuriiIhnat said on Ukraine's Channel 24 television. "Well, there is confirmation that it effectively works against even a super-hypersonic missile." Ihnat said.
He said successfully intercepting the Kinzhal was "a slap in the face for Russia." Ukraine took its first delivery of the Patriot missiles in late April. It has not specified how many systems it has or where they have been deployed, but they are known to have been provided by the United States, Germany and the Netherlands.
Germany and the US have acknowledged sending at least one battery, and the Netherlands has said it has provided two launchers. However, it is unclear how many are currently in operation.
Source: Qatar Tribune