"US Authorities Confident in Ukraine's Shootdown of Russian Hypersonic Missile... Putin's Pride Hurt"

They Said It Evades All Existing Defense Systems... Shot Down by Patriot

US authorities are reportedly confident that Ukraine shot down Russia's hypersonic missile 'Kinzhal' using the Patriot defense system, drawing significant attention according to US media reports. The Kinzhal missile was previously showcased by Russia in 2018 as a weapon that could not be intercepted by any existing missile defense system, but opinions have been divided regarding its operational effectiveness. As trust in Russian weaponry declines, it is expected to impact the morale of Russian forces.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

On the 7th (local time), CNN cited sources within the US Department of Defense, reporting, "There is strong confidence within the Pentagon that Ukrainian forces shot down the Kinzhal missile with a Patriot missile," adding, "Whether the Patriot can defend against Russian hypersonic missiles had remained theoretical, but Ukraine's successful interception has demonstrated this capability."

It continued, "This missile was touted by President Vladimir Putin himself as surpassing all existing air defense systems," and noted, "The Russian military had been confident that once a hypersonic missile was launched, it would hit its target, but now that confidence has likely turned into uncertainty."

Earlier, the Ukrainian Air Force announced that it had shot down a Russian Kinzhal missile, which was used in an airstrike on the capital Kyiv the previous day, with a US-supplied Patriot missile. The name Kinzhal means 'dagger' in Russian, and it is a representative hypersonic missile of the Russian military, capable of flying at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (approximately 6,120 km/h) to strike targets.

Additionally, it can perform evasive maneuvers at low altitudes, making it a formidable weapon capable of neutralizing existing missile defense systems. The Kinzhal's top speed is Mach 10, it can carry a nuclear warhead, and can be mounted on fighter jets or bombers, according to Russian claims. When it was developed in 2018, President Putin personally praised it as a weapon capable of penetrating all existing missile defense systems.

Since September last year, as the war in Ukraine reached a stalemate, the Kinzhal missile has been launched multiple times for airstrikes. However, with the Patriot defense system supplied by the US blocking these attacks, there is growing debate over whether the Russian military will continue to use the missile in future air operations. It is also known that Russia's major hypersonic weapon systems, including the Kinzhal, are facing significant production difficulties due to disrupted parts imports caused by sanctions against Russia.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.