The Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have once again surprised the world with a heroic success in fighting Russian hypersonic weapons, demonstrating the first-ever case in the world of shooting down “Kinzhal” missiles directly over Ukrainian territory
The video, published by the military, was recorded from the operator’s system of the Patriot air defense system, capturing the moment of destruction of a Russian hypersonic ballistic missile launched on May 4, 2023. This event became a historic milestone in military aviation and air defense, proving that even the most complex and dangerous enemy weapons can be neutralized. In the video appears a man — an operator with front-line duties, who, according to the military, is named Dmytro. His face is partially covered, but his important role in this significant operation is noted. Dmytro admits: “When the war started, I joined the military. I could never have imagined that — as a simple programmer — I would master the Patriot system and shoot down the first ‘Kinzhal’ in the world. It was an incredible experience, and I am very proud that we proved to the entire world: even the most complex weapon can be defeated.” According to Dmytro, at the beginning of the engagement, he and his colleagues did not know that the missile they shot down was specifically a “Kinzhal.” They observed on the screens that it was a ballistic projectile but assumed it was a regular “Iskander,” which Russia also widely deploys. Only later, when fragments of the missile were found, Ukrainian military personnel realized they had succeeded in shooting down a true hypersonic weapon. From that moment, a wave of triumph and joy began — all comrades congratulated each other, as this was a historic breakthrough in the fight against high-tech enemy weapons. It is worth noting that before this moment, many experts and military analysts believed that destroying a "Kinzhal" was an extraordinarily difficult task due to its technical characteristics and speed. Russia claimed multiple times that these hypersonic missiles supposedly could not be shot down, and that they were a symbol of the invincibility of Russian military power. But Ukrainian soldiers proved otherwise: everything is possible, and even the most sophisticated weapons can be neutralized through clever use of modern air defense. The background of this event is of particular interest. On the night of May 4, for the first time in the world, a hypersonic missile was shot down over Kyiv — this was the result of persistent work and dedication by the air force personnel. Initially, this news was circulated by the online publication "Defense Express," and the following day — May 6 — it was officially confirmed by the Commander of the Ukrainian Air Forces, Mykola Oleshchuk. Later, information emerged that the “Kinzhal” missiles were shot down by anti-aircraft defense units of the 96th Separate Air Defense Brigade, which had undergone training for less than three months. This once again proved that Ukrainian military personnel, despite limited training time, are capable of executing the most complex tasks. Subsequently, on May 16, this same brigade did not stop and once again demonstrated its high level of training by shooting down six such hypersonic “Kinzhal” missiles. This became an indisputable proof that Ukrainian defense is capable of countering even the most challenging modern threats and destroying weapons that were previously considered unstoppable. This historic event not only highlights the Ukrainian army’s ability to utilize cutting-edge air defense technologies but also serves as a signal to the enemy and the global community: Ukraine is capable of defending itself and inflicting serious losses even on the most complex Russian weapons. In summary, this success has become another vivid testament to the courage and high professionalism of Ukrainian military personnel, their ability to confront the most difficult challenges of war, and to influence combat outcomes through their actions and innovative solutions.