Military historian shares insights on consequences of Ukrainian interception of hypersonic Kinzhal missile
“The Russians claimed, and we were told, that Kinzhals cannot be shot down,” he said.
Read also: Russia attacks Kyiv with Shahed drones and range of cruise missiles, including Kinzhal
“Our air defense would be helpless against them if the Russians started using them. However, we have now proven that we can shoot down at least one Kinzhal, which means it is not such an invulnerable missile.”
Read also: Air Force confirms first ever interception of Kinzhal ballistic missile by Ukrainian Air Defense
He suggested that if a Patriot air defense system did indeed shoot down the Kinzhal, then this experience would be useful not only for Ukraine but also for NATO countries, particularly U.S., which produces Patriots.
“This is indeed a very interesting event and, to some extent, audacious,” he added.
However, Ponomarenko noted that Russians would not reduce their use of these ballistic missiles after this event.
“They don’t use Kinzhals very often anyway, because they do not have many of them,” he noted.
“The stockpile of these missiles they have is not very large. They keep them as a strategic reserve in case of a large-scale war with NATO. They might be happy to bury us with these missiles, but they believe that after they’re done with Ukraine, they will be in conflict with other NATO countries. And for that, they also need some arsenal.”
On May 4, Kyiv authorities reported that all hostile targets, including drones and missiles, launched during a missile strike, had been destroyed in the vicinity of the capital. However, the Ukrainian Air Force had not yet confirmed the use of Russian ballistic missiles, stating that it would take several days to ascertain the facts.
Read also: Ukrainian Air Force denies reports Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missile downed over Kyiv
On May 5, the Defense Express publication analyzed debris of the intercepted missile and concluded that Ukrainian forces had downed a hypersonic Russian Kinzhal missile, which the country was previously unable to intercept. However, Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat refuted these claims at the time, though the Ukrainian military confirmed that a Kinzhal had been intercepted by Ukrainian air defenses on May 6.
In April, Kyiv received Patriot air defense systems from the United States, the Netherlands, and Germany, which marks a significant development in the country’s military capabilities and defense against Russian aggression.
Read also: Which missiles Ukraine can and can’t shoot down
We’re bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!
Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
