The Russian Ministry of Defense reported the attack on the American-made Patriot anti-aircraft missile system (SAM) in Kiev. The official representative of the division, Igor Konashenkov, said that the air defense system was hit by the Dagger hypersonic complex.
“The high-precision attack of the Kinzhal hypersonic missile system in the city of Kiev hit the US-made Patriot anti-aircraft missile system,” Konashenkov said.
The Ministry of Defense also reported that on the night of May 16, the Russian army launched an attack with precision-guided weapons on the positions of the Ukrainian army and the places where the weapons were stored.
Also, in the last 24 hours, Russian air defense systems shot down seven Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles and the same number of HIMARS shells, according to the ministry. The agency also reported that three HARM anti-radar missiles and 22 Ukrainian drones were shot down.
In response, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that in the morning the country was attacked by 18 missiles of various types (six Dagger, nine Kalibr, three Iskander and S-400 missiles) and nine unmanned aerial vehicles. The Ukrainian military claims that all missiles were shot down.
Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov, commenting on the statement of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, called on the Russian Ministry of Defense to ask questions.
“President Putin has repeatedly said, and our technical experts have repeatedly confirmed that such weapons, Kinzhal missiles, have completely unique tactical and technical characteristics. That’s true,” the Kremlin spokesperson added.
Night attack on Kiev
On the night of May 16, an airstrike was carried out across Ukraine. Ukrainian media reported that, in addition to explosions, the air defense system was operated in various parts of Kiev.
The Telegram channel “Military Correspondents of the Russian Spring” reported that Russian troops, using Kinzhal and Caliber missiles, dealt the “biggest blow” to military installations in the Ukrainian capital. The Telegram channel also writes that they probably managed to hit the air defense system in the Svyatoshinsky district of Kiev.
On the morning of May 16, video from security cameras in Kiev appeared on the network. They show how the air defense system mirrored the attack on the city, a total of about 30 anti-aircraft missiles were fired, while two missiles fell to the ground.
After a while, a powerful explosion appears where the anti-aircraft missiles take off, and then a plume of smoke appears.
The head of the city’s military administration, Serhiy Popko, said that Kiev was under “extraordinarily intense” attack. According to him, “the maximum number of attack missiles” was recorded in a short time.
He noted that the city has been attacked for the eighth time since the beginning of the month. The mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, reported that three people died.
Patriot works in Ukraine
On May 9, the US Department of Defense announced that Ukraine had shot down the Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missile using the Patriot air defense system transferred to it. The same was noted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
On May 11, Russian news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti, citing a source in the Ministry of Defense, wrote that the Patriot failed to hit the “Dagger” because it was unable to capture targets so quickly. He called statements about the interception of a Russian missile “filling” and an “attempted wishful thinking”.
In mid-April, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Oleksandr Pavlyuk said that Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems arrived in the country not only from the United States, but also from the Netherlands and Germany.
Then Yuri Ignat, spokesman for the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that the Patriot was already on combat duty, but they could not completely secure the whole country.
“The Ukrainian Armed Forces will be able to keep Russian aircraft a little further from our borders. “But this problem will not be completely solved, it can be completely solved with the F-16, because it is a weapon that can react quickly and be where it is needed.”
The Patriot complex consists of a missile, launchers, radar installation, control station, electric generator unit and high-frequency antenna mast.
According to the U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Patriot SAM launcher can cost around $10 million, and a missile can cost around $4 million. The price of one battery is about $ 1 billion: about $ 400 million will be spent on equipment and $ 690 million on missiles. The United States gave Ukraine a battery that was previously in use. Germany also announced the delivery of a Patriot system to Ukraine.
According to socialbites.ca military expert Mikhail Khodarenko, about 20-25 batteries are needed to build the anti-aircraft defense of Kiev.