Air Force confirms downing of Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missile
6 May, 2023 MiG-31BM with Kinzhal hypersonic missile. Photo from open sources The Ukrainian Air Force announced that on May 4, a Russian Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missile was shot down.
Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force made the announcement. The Russian Kh-47 Kinzhal missile was downed during a night attack in the sky over the Kyiv region. Kh-47 missile was launched from MiG-31K fighter jet in the territory of Russia.
According to the military, the enemy missile was shot down with the Patriot air defense system, given to Ukraine by Western allies as part of the defense assistance necessary to resist the Russian invasion.
Missile launch from Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
The Kyiv City Military Administration previously informed about the downing of missiles and Russian kamikaze drones in the sky above the capital on the night of May 4.
Wreckage of the Kinzhal missile shot down over Kyiv on May 4, 2023. Photo credits: Defense Express
The media also reported on Friday that it was the Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missile that had been shot down. The Defense Express published a photo of the wreckage of the missile that had fallen within the capital.
It was identified as the remains of the nose of the Kh-47 missile. However, yesterday the Air Force denied the earlier statement and did not confirm the downing of the Kh-47 Kinzhal hypersonic missile over Kyiv. However, already on Saturday, May 6, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, confirmed on social networks the fact of the destruction of the Russian Kh-47 Kinzhal hypersonic missile on May 4.
Modified MiG-31K fighter jet (board number "92 red") with a Kinzhal hypersonic aero-ballistic missile, 2018.
Photo credits: Russian media
Kh-47M2 Kinzhal is a Russian hypersonic aviation missile. The Kinzhal missile is similar to the Iskander short-range ballistic missiles in terms of dimensions and appearance. The maximum speed of the missile is 10 M. MiG-31? is capable of carrying one such missile and hitting targets at a distance of up to 2,000 km.
Patriot SAM system of the Ukrainian military. Ukraine. April 2023.
Frame from the video of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
As previously reported, in April, the Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force announced that the first Patriot division was already on combat duty in Ukraine.
Patriot SAM system of the Ukrainian military. Ukraine. April 2023.
Frame from the video of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Subsequently, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk stated that the second Patriot division, transferred to Ukraine by the Allies, was already on combat duty as well.