On Tuesday, Ukraine’s air defense shot down six of the most sophisticated conventional weapons in Russia’s arsenal, hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, during a barrage of missiles and drones aimed at Kyiv, the capital. The attack was the eighth large-scale assault on the city this month. Ukraine had until recently lacked the capability to intercept Kinzhals and had pressed allies for Patriot systems. Two Patriot systems are believed to be in Ukraine, and the weapons are considered crucial to the anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive to drive Russian forces out of its territory.
The sky over Kyiv lit up around 3 a.m. Tuesday with thunderous explosions as air defenses collided with the incoming missiles, raining debris across the city. At least three people were injured, according to the city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko. Ukraine’s Air Force did not specify whether the Patriot system had, in fact, been involved in shooting down Russian missiles, but two U.S. officials confirmed that a Patriot had been damaged, not destroyed, in the attack overnight Tuesday. After an evaluation of the damage to the Patriot to determine whether parts of the system needed to be replaced or could be repaired, the initial conclusion was that the system was still operational against all threats — including hypersonic missiles.
The arrest of the head of Ukraine’s Supreme Court, Vsevolod Knyazev, who was accused of a corruption scheme in which he had received $2.7 million in bribes, also took place amid the attack. The aerial assault on Kyiv came amid reports of the arrest and as Ukraine secured billions of dollars in pledges for military aid from Western allies.