Russia-Ukraine War: Kyiv Said It Shot Down Russian Hypersonic Missiles

Ukraine said this week that it was able to intercept a volley of Russian hypersonic missiles overnight. The claim signaled that Kyiv was able to intercept a weapon that Russia has often touted as all but unstoppable.

Kyiv said on Tuesday that it was able to intercept six Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missiles overnight, foiling an attempt by Moscow to use a weapon it has touted as unstoppable. The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi said his forces were successful in intercepting six Kinzhals that were launched from aircraft, including nine Kalibr cruise missiles launched from ships in the Black Sea, and three Iskander missiles launched from land.

This marked the first time Ukraine claimed to have struck several Kinzhal missiles, part of the 27 missiles Russia launched at Ukraine in a span of 24 hours. Should it be confirmed, it would be a demonstration of the effectiveness of the newly deployed weapons provided by the West. It remains to be seen, however, which weapon was used to intercept the missiles.

“A year ago, we were not able to shoot down most of the terrorists’ missiles, especially ballistic ones,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a video address to the Council of Europe Summit in Iceland. “And I am asking one thing now. If we are able to do this, is there anything we can’t do?”

Ukraine said this month that it was able to shoot down a Russian Kinzhal missile over Kyiv for the first time with the use of the Patriot missile system. This was confirmed by the United States but did not say whether the Russian missile was flying at a hypersonic speed at the time.

Meanwhile, the fighting has intensified in the border regions that Russia and Ukraine share, according to the British defense ministry on Wednesday. The ministry cited one such instance on May 13, when four Russian aircraft were apparently shot down in the Russian Bryansk region.

“The increased air threat over Russia’s border region will be of exceptional concern for the VKS because it uses the area to launch air power support in the war,” said the ministry, referring to Russia’s air force.

Photo: dpsu.gov.ua / Wikimedia Commons (CC by 2.0)