Kyiv posts images of 'downed' Russian hypersonic missile
by AFP Staff Writers
Kyiv, Ukraine (AFP) Jan 5, 2024

Ukraine released images on Friday of what it said was a Russian Kinzhal ballistic missile, which it claimed earlier in the week to have downed using the US Patriot anti-aircraft system.

Ukraine's state emergency service published photographs on its Telegram channel showing a crane extracting the remains of a missile from the ground.

"In Kyiv, engineers neutralised the warhead of an enemy Kinzhal aerial hypersonic missile," the government department said.

AFP was not able to immediately verify the claim.

Ukraine said on Tuesday it had shot down ten Kinzhal missiles Russia fired at the country, during a wave of massive strikes on Ukrainian towns which left six people dead.

Kinzhal missiles make up part of an arsenal of weapons that Putin has claimed were indestructible because of the speed at which they travel, up to ten times the speed of sound.

According to the British defence ministry, Moscow reserves these warheads for what it considers to be "high-value and well-defended" targets.

Kyiv has repeatedly said the Patriot air defence system is vital to defending the country from Russia.

Kyiv has urged for more Western military support, worrying about war fatigue in some countries as the conflict drags on for almost two years.

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