Ukraine claims it has shot down six “unstoppable” hypersonic missiles overnight after Russia launched an intense air attack on the capital.
Six “Kinzhal” aero-ballistic missiles were launched from MiG-31K aircraft, nine Kalibr cruise missiles from ships in the Black Sea and three land-based S-400 cruise missiles targeted the capital, Yurii Ihnat, Ukraine’s Air Force spokesman said.
He said 18 missiles of various types were intercepted by American-made Patriot PAC3 missiles and shot down. The attack was the Ukrainian capital’s eighth air raid this month.
Ukraine said it had downed six advanced Russian hypersonic missiles during an overnight barrage of missiles and drones.
“Another unbelievable success for the Ukrainian Air Forces! Last night, our sky defenders shot down SIX russian hypersonic Kinzhal missiles and 12 other missiles,” Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said on Twitter.
“Russian terrorists have no chance of prevailing over Ukraine. Their weapons can and should be countered by Western ones. Thank you to our Air Force service members and our partner states, who invested in securing the skies over Ukraine and all of Europe. Let’s win together!”
Reznikov’s comments come a week after Ukraine said it had downed its first Kinzhal hypersonic missile using US-supplied MIM-104 Patriot systems.
In 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the missile as “an ideal weapon” extremely difficult to intercept.
“It was exceptional in its density – the maximum number of attack missiles in the shortest period of time,” Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s city military administration, said in comments posted on Telegram.
Officials reported falling debris in Kyiv’s Obolonskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, Solomyanskyi and Darnytskyi districts. Three people were injured in the air attack.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said falling debris set several cars on fire and damaged a building in the Solomyanskyi district in the capital’s west. Meanwhile, air defence systems repelled a drone attack south of Boryspil.
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