The Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have successfully intercepted and downed a Russian hypersonic missile over Kyiv using newly acquired American Patriot defense systems. This marks the first time Ukraine has been able to intercept one of Moscow’s most modern missiles.
Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk confirmed the incident in a Telegram post, stating that the Kinzhal-type ballistic missile had been intercepted in an overnight attack on the Ukrainian capital earlier in the week. This is also the first time Ukraine is known to have used the Patriot defense systems.
“Yes, we shot down the ‘unique’ Kinzhal,” Oleshchuk wrote. “It happened during the nighttime attack on May 4 in the skies of the Kyiv region.”
The Kinzhal is one of the latest and most advanced Russian weapons. The Russian military claims the air-launched ballistic missile has a range of up to 2,000 kilometers (about 1,250 miles) and flies at 10 times the speed of sound, making it difficult 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 lacking assets to intercept the Kinzhals. However, the successful interception of the Kinzhal marks a significant achievement for Ukraine, demonstrating their newfound ability to defend against one of Russia’s most advanced weapons.
“They were saying that the Patriot is an outdated American weapon, and Russian weapons are the best in the world,” Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said on Ukraine’s Channel 24 television. “Well, there is confirmation that it effectively works against even a super hypersonic missile.”
The successful interception of the Kinzhal is “a slap in the face for Russia,” Ihnat said.
Ukraine took delivery of the Patriot missiles in late April, with the systems provided by the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands. The Ukrainian government has not specified how many of the systems it has or where they have been deployed, but it is known that Germany and the US have each sent at least one system, and the Netherlands has provided two. Each battery requires up to 90 personnel to operate and maintain.
Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said he first requested Patriot systems when visiting the US in August 2021, months before Russia’s full-scale invasion but seven years after Russia illegally annexed Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula. He has described possessing the system as “a dream” but said he was told in the US at the time that it was impossible.
The Patriot was first deployed by the US in the 1980s. The system costs approximately $4 million per missile, and the launchers cost about $10 million each, according to analysts.
At such a cost, it was widely thought that Ukraine would only use the Patriots against Russian aircraft or hypersonic missiles. However, the successful interception of the Kinzhal demonstrates the system’s versatility and effectiveness against even the most advanced Russian weapons.
In other developments, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces accused Russia of using phosphorus munitions in its attempt to wrest control of the eastern city of Bakhmut from Ukrainian forces. Russian troops have been trying to take the city for more than nine months, but Ukrainian forces are still clinging to positions on the western edge of the city.
On Saturday, the Ukrainska Pravda newspaper quoted military officials as saying that “the enemy used phosphorus and incendiary ammunition in Bakhmut in an attempt to wipe the city off the face of the earth.” A photo accompanying the newspaper report showed an urban area lit up with fire in multiple places.
The allegations of Russian forces using phosphorus munitions in Bakhmut could not be independently verified. Russian forces have not commented on the claim, but have rejected previous accusations from Ukraine that they had used phosphorus.
