Putin's Secret Weapon 'Kinzhal' Humiliated... Intercepted Again by US Missile

'No Hypersonic Interception' Myth Shaken
Next-Generation Weapon Revealed by Putin Himself
Experts Say "Major Blow to Russia's Nuclear Strategy"

The reputation of Russia's latest hypersonic weapon, the 'Kinzhal,' is being shaken. This comes after two defeats against the American-made Patriot (PAC-3) air defense system.

According to US CNN and other media, on the 16th (local time), Oleksii Reznikov, Ukraine's Minister of Defense, announced that six Kinzhal missiles were intercepted by PAC-3 during an air raid early that day. The PAC-3 is an air defense missile developed in the United States and is currently deployed in large numbers in Ukraine.

This is not the first time the Ukrainian military has claimed to intercept the Kinzhal. They also stated that they intercepted Kinzhal missiles with PAC-3 during a Russian air raid on the 4th.

The US Department of Defense also confirmed during a regular briefing on the 9th, "We can confirm that the Ukrainian military used the Patriot missile air defense system to shoot down Russian missiles."

Missile at Mach 10... Humiliated by US Air Defense

On May 16th (local time), a Russian missile exploded over Kyiv, Ukraine.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The Kinzhal has been the Russian Aerospace Forces' 'secret weapon' until now. Both the Russian military and government have invested significant effort in the development and deployment of the Kinzhal. Russian President Vladimir Putin personally announced it in March 2018.

The Kinzhal is an air-launched ballistic missile carried by aircraft, reportedly reaching a top speed of Mach 10, ten times the speed of sound, with a range of up to 2,000 km. This is twice the speed of Mach 5, the standard for hypersonic missiles. Because of this, many believed that existing air defense systems would be unable to counter the Kinzhal.

In fact, the Russian military initially launched the Kinzhal only at strategic targets early in the war. A representative case was the strike on Ukrainian ammunition and missile depots on March 19 last year.

However, the status of the Kinzhal as an 'unstoppable weapon' began to waver afterward. On May 4, it was first intercepted by the Ukrainian military's PAC-3, and subsequent interceptions have been acknowledged. The Russian Ministry of Defense has issued statements denying this, saying "Kinzhal interception is impossible" and "It's just wishful thinking."

Cracks in Russia's Tactical Nuclear Strategy

Air-launched hypersonic missile 'Kinzhal' mounted on MiG-31K fighter jet (white missile attached under the fighter jet) [Image source=Yonhap News]

The interception of the Kinzhal could have negative implications for Russia's future military strategy and tactics. Previously, the Russian military had repeatedly suggested the possibility of equipping hypersonic missiles like the Kinzhal with 'different warheads' rather than conventional bombs.

In other words, by launching Kinzhal missiles armed with tactical nuclear warheads, Russia has been demonstrating 'nuclear deterrence,' threatening to strike Ukrainian territory at any time. However, if the Kinzhal is no longer an invincible missile, such threats are unlikely to be effective going forward.

Regarding this, Fabian Hoffmann, a nuclear strategy expert and research fellow at the University of Oslo in Norway, stated, "Russian strategists should be very afraid from now on," adding, "This confirms that Western existing air defense systems can intercept all of Russia's tactical nuclear weapons."

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