"The Patriot system is still operational," AFP quoted a US defense official as saying. The US side is assessing the damage to the Patriot system.
The damaged Patriot air defense system was one of two batteries the Pentagon confirmed it had transferred to Ukraine.
Patriot missile defense system. (Photo: US Army)
Ukrainian air force spokesman Yury Ignat earlier said that “everything is fine with the Patriot system”, but declined to specify whether the system had been damaged. “The Patriot air defence system is in service. Everything is fine,” Yury Ignat said.
Meanwhile, on May 17, Ukraine denied information that a Russian hypersonic missile destroyed a US-supplied Patriot missile defense system during an airstrike targeting Kiev.
“I want to say: Don’t worry about the fate of the Patriot,” Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat told Ukrainian television, ruling out the possibility of Russia’s Kinzhal missile taking down the Patriot system.
“It is impossible to destroy the system with a weapon like Kinzhal. Everything they say is just propaganda,” Mr. Ihnat said.
Ukraine has repeatedly urged Western countries to provide Patriot systems to help it counter Russia.
Patriot is considered one of the most advanced air defense systems in the United States. Each Patriot system includes cruise and ballistic missiles, launchers, radars and other support vehicles.
On May 16, the Russian Defense Ministry said its forces had attacked a Patriot system in Kiev with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the Kinzhal missile is proof that Russia possesses the most powerful weapons in the world.
On the same day, Kiev said Ukrainian air defense forces shot down six Russian hypersonic missiles. However, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu later denied this claim.
Kong Anh (Source: AFP)
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