Ukraine downs Russian hypersonic missile with US Patriot defense system

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s air drive claimed Saturday to have downed a Russian hypersonic missile over Kyiv utilizing newly acquired American Patriot protection programs, the primary identified time the nation has been capable of intercept one in every of Moscow’s most fashionable missiles.

Air Drive commander Mykola Oleshchuk stated in a Telegram put up that the Kinzhal-type ballistic missile had been intercepted in an in a single day assault on the Ukrainian capital earlier within the week. It was additionally the primary time Ukraine is thought to have used the Patriot protection programs.

“Sure, we shot down the ‘distinctive’ Kinzhal,” Oleshchuk wrote. “It occurred in the course of the evening time assault on Could 4 within the skies of the Kyiv area.”

Oleshchuk stated the Kh-47 missile was launched by a MiG-31K plane from the Russian territory and was shot down with a Patriot missile.

The Kinzhal is among the newest and most superior Russian weapons. The Russian army says the air-launched ballistic missile has a spread of as much as 2,000 kilometers (about 1,250 miles) and flies at 10 instances the velocity of sound, making it arduous to intercept.

A mixture of hypersonic velocity and a heavy warhead permits the Kinzhal to destroy closely fortified targets, like underground bunkers or mountain tunnels.

The Ukrainian army has beforehand admitted missing property to intercept the Kinzhals.

“They have been saying that the Patriot is an outdated American weapon, and Russian weapons are the perfect on the planet,” Air Drive spokesman Yurii Ihnat stated on Ukraine’s Channel 24 tv. “Nicely, there may be affirmation that it successfully works in opposition to even a brilliant hypersonic missile.” Ihnat stated.

He stated efficiently intercepting the Kinzhal is “a slap within the face for Russia.”

Ukraine took its first supply of the Patriot missiles in late April. It has not specified how lots of the programs it has or the place they’ve been deployed, however they’re identified to have been supplied by the USA, Germany and the Netherlands.

Germany and the U.S. have acknowledged every sending a minimum of one system and the Netherlands has stated it has supplied two although it isn’t clear what number of are presently in operation.

Ukrainian troops have acquired the intensive coaching wanted to have the ability to successfully find a goal with the programs, lock on with radar and hearth. Every battery requires as much as 90 personnel to function and keep.

Protection Minister Oleksii Reznikov stated he first requested for Patriot programs when visiting the U.S. in August 2021, months earlier than Russia’s full-scale invasion however seven years after Russia illegally annexed Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula.

He has described possessing the system as “a dream” however stated he was advised within the U.S. on the time that it was unimaginable.

The Patriot was first deployed by the U.S. within the Eighties. The system prices roughly $4 million per missile, and the launchers price about $10 million every, based on analysts.

At such a value, it was extensively thought that Ukraine would solely use the Patriots in opposition to Russian plane or hypersonic missiles.

In different developments, Ukraine’s Particular Operations Forces accused Russia of utilizing phosphorous munitions in its try to wrest management of the jap metropolis of Bakhmut from Ukrainian forces.

Russian troops have been attempting to take the town for greater than 9 months, however Ukrainian forces are nonetheless clinging to positions on the western fringe of the town.

On Saturday, the Ukrainska Pravda newspaper quoted army officers as saying that “the enemy used phosphorus and incendiary ammunition in Bakhmut in an try to wipe the town off the face of the earth.”

A photograph accompanying the newspaper report confirmed an city space lit up with hearth in a number of locations.

The allegations couldn’t be independently verified.

Russian forces haven’t commented on the declare however have rejected earlier accusations from Ukraine that that they had used phosphorus.

Worldwide legislation prohibits the usage of white phosphorus or different incendiary weapons – munitions designed to set hearth to things or trigger burn accidents – in areas the place there could possibly be concentrations of civilians.

White phosphorous can be used for illumination or to create smoke screens.