Ukrainian armed forces shot down a Russian hypersonic missile using an American-made missile defence system, a senior official in the country has claimed.
Mykola Oleshchuk, a commander within Ukraine’s air force, has claimed that forces fighting for the country have managed to shoot down one of Russia’s hypersonic missiles using a Patriot Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) defence system developed by the United States, which the country began to receiv from America, Germany, and the Netherlands last month.
Russia’s Kh-47 hypersonic missile, which can reach up to 10 times the speed of sound, is deemed to be one of the most dangerous elements within Moscow’s arsenal and which some even claim uses technology beyond what the U.S. currently holds.
Such missiles are thought to be extremely difficult to take down with conventional means due to the high speed at which the weapon travels.
It is believed that this is the first instance of Ukrainian forces being able to intercept such a missile, potentially representing a significant victory for Kyiv.
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According to a post made on Telegram, Oleshchuk claimed that Ukraine managed to use the now decades-old American defensive system to intercept and destroy one of Russia’s hypersonic missiles.
“It happened during the night attack on May 4 in the sky of Kyiv Region,” the commander wrote, in what is seen as a vindication of the U.S. technology, which has received numerous upgrades since first seeing service.
“When loud explosions are heard in the air, my daughter reassures the neighbours every time with the words: calm down, our air defence is working!” he added. “Talk to your neighbours, help each other in difficult moments, believe in our Air Force, believe in air defence!”
Yurii Ihnat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian air force, is meanwhile said to have described the successful interception as a “slap in the face” for Russia.
“They were saying that the Patriot is an outdated American weapon, and Russian weapons are the best in the world,” he reportedly told one TV station in the country.
“Well, there is confirmation that it effectively works against even a super hypersonic missile,” he went on to say.
Meanwhile, Russia also claimed to have shot down at least two Ukrainian ballistic missiles on Saturday over the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, Russian propaganda outlet RT reported.
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