The latest defense over the skies of Kyiv is a huge victory for Ukraine after air defenses completely thwarted incoming Russian missile strikes.
Ukraine shot down all 18 of Russia’s air, sea and land-based missiles, according to the Kyiv military administration.
The projectiles struck down include six Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, which can travel at ten times the speed of sound and are the most advanced missiles in Russia’s arsenal.
Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv’s city military administration, noted the Russian attack was “exceptional in its density.”
“The maximum number of attack missiles in the shortest period of time,” Popko wrote on Telegram.
Ukraine’s success was aided by the transfer of three American-made Patriot air defense systems from the U.S., Germany and the Netherlands last month.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov tweeted the air defense was an “unbelievable success” for Kyiv.
“Russian terrorists have no chance of prevailing over Ukraine,” Reznikov wrote. “Their weapons can and should be countered by Western ones.”
Russia has targeted critical infrastructure in Ukraine with mass strikes since last fall.
The frequent bombardments on Ukrainian cities have killed citizens and destroyed residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had long asked for a Patriot, considered one of the most advanced air defense systems in the world.
In December, the U.S. finally announced the transfer of one Patriot system when Zelensky visited Washington, D.C., and addressed members of Congress.
With almost all western equipment delivered, Ukraine is now pressing ahead with what may be a preliminary stage of its long-awaited counteroffensive.
In Bakhmut, Ukrainian forces have made small advances after defending the city for months.
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