Russia launches hypersonic missile into Ukraine

Russia's RT news agency quoted a Ukrainian military official as saying yesterday that Russia had launched a "comprehensive attack" on targets in the capital Kyiv in the early hours of the same day. Air raid sirens were heard in almost all of Ukraine and were heard in Kyiv for more than 3 hours, according to Reuters.

Conflicting information between the two sides

Commenting on the number of missiles fired in the new attack, Serhiy Popko, head of the Kyiv military administration, wrote on the Telegram messaging app: "It was unusual in intensity - the maximum number of missiles fired in the shortest period of time." However, the Ukrainian military claimed that all 18 missiles and nine drones launched by Russia into Kyiv overnight had been shot down.

Quick view: Day 446 of the campaign, Ukraine boasts of shooting down 6 Kinzhal supersonic missiles, Russia says it destroyed the Patriot system

The Ukrainian military also said that the missiles shot down included six Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, nine Kalibr cruise missiles and three Iskander ballistic missiles, according to Reuters. "The air defense work was extremely successful. The six Kinzhal missiles are an impressive indicator of that success," Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said.

Nga phóng tên lửa bội siêu thanh vào Ukraine - Ảnh 1. — Image believed to be of missile attack in Kyiv early morning 16.5

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry announced on the same day that it had destroyed the Patriot missile defense system (made by the US) with Kinzhal missiles in the attack on Ukraine, Reuters quoted the Russian military newspaper Zvezda. The Russian Defense Ministry also said that the overnight airstrike also targeted Ukrainian combat units and ammunition depots and that all targets were hit. Russia did not comment on the information released by Ukraine.

Earlier, the Ukrainian Air Force said on May 6 that the Patriot air defense system was used to intercept the Russian Kinzhal missile launched on May 4, according to The Kyiv Independent.

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However, on May 11, TASS news agency quoted a source from the Russian Defense Ministry as saying that the information about the Kinzhal missile being shot down was fake news, arguing that the Kinzhal's speed far exceeded the maximum attack modes of the Patriot system. On May 13, CNN quoted two US officials as saying that Russia used a hypersonic missile to try to destroy Ukraine's Patriot system on May 4, but Kyiv used the same Patriot system to shoot down the Russian missile.

US, France ready to train Ukrainian soldiers

The new airstrike comes as the West continues to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder said on May 15 that the US had transferred 31 Abrams tanks to the US military’s Grafenwoehr training area in Germany, according to The Kyiv Independent. There, about 250 Ukrainian soldiers will be trained in how to maintain and use the Abrams tanks.

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In addition, French President Emmanuel Macron said on May 15 that Paris is ready to train Ukrainian pilots to fly fighter jets, according to Le Monde newspaper. Mr. Macron also emphasized that the training "can start now" and can be organized with "several other European countries that are ready". Britain also promised to train Ukrainian pilots in the summer, although it ruled out plans to send fighter jets to Kyiv at this time.

Meanwhile, TASS reported yesterday that at the UN Security Council meeting on May 15, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya accused the West of fully acknowledging its direct involvement in the conflict in Ukraine by continuously supplying military equipment to Kyiv.

Reuters reported yesterday that the Russian Defense Ministry deployed a Su-27 fighter jet on May 15 after detecting French and German patrol planes flying toward Russian airspace. The Russian Defense Ministry said the Su-27 returned to base after the French and German patrol planes left. Meanwhile, France and Germany insisted that their patrol planes were conducting routine flights as part of NATO exercises and were acting in accordance with international law.

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