Ukraine reassures about the fate of the Patriot complex

Ukrainian colonel reassured people, saying that Russian Kinzhal missiles cannot completely destroy the Patriot air defense system in Kiev.

"I want to say not to worry about the fate of the Patriot air defense system," Colonel Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian air force, said in a televised message to the public on May 17. "It is impossible to destroy the entire Patriot system with Kinzhal missiles. What Russia says is just their propaganda."

According to Mr. Ihnat, the Ukrainian Patriot division consists of a radar unit and eight launchers scattered in different locations, making it impossible to completely destroy them with a single Kinzhal missile. He said such a statement by the Russian military leadership is "unbelievable".

Ihnat cited previous statements by the Russian Defense Ministry about the number of Ukrainian fighters destroyed by Russian forces. "If Ukraine had as many aircraft as Russia claims, we would have won a long time ago," he said.

Ihnat’s reassuring comments came after the Russian Defense Ministry said Moscow had used a Kinzhal hypersonic missile to destroy a Patriot air defense missile site in Kiev in a raid early on May 16. The Russian military did not provide further details about the attack.

Patriot air defense system during an exercise at Warsaw Babice airport, Poland on February 7. Photo: AFP — Patriot air defense system during an exercise at Warsaw Babice airport, Poland on February 7. Photo: *AFP*

A US official said the Patriot battery in Ukraine may have been damaged, but not completely destroyed, after the Russian missile attack. The US is assessing the extent of the damage to the battery to decide whether to repair it locally or send it abroad for repair.

The Patriot system consists of six main components: radar, launcher, antenna, command post, power station and interceptor missile, which helps launch missiles accurately to the target. If a component is seriously damaged, Ukraine will be forced to withdraw the system and move it abroad, possibly to Poland, to find a solution.

US officials said Russia launched a massive attack using various types of missiles in the early morning of May 16, forcing Ukraine to activate its Patriot system and continuously launch interceptor missiles.

Air defense capabilities of the US Patriot missile complex. Click on the image to see details. Graphics: Raytheon, RIA Novosti — Air defense capabilities of the US Patriot missile complex. Click on the image to see details. Graphics: *Raytheon, RIA Novosti*

When the Patriot radar was activated to detect the missile, Russia picked up the signal it emitted and then used the Kinzhal hypersonic missile to attack. Unlike the short-range air defense systems that the US provided to Ukraine, the Patriot is less mobile and has a larger battery, allowing Russian forces time to target.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said he could not confirm that the Patriot system had been damaged, but added that US-supplied weapons are often lost or worn out in combat.

"If the Patriot system needs to be repaired outside of Ukraine, we will certainly support it," Mr. Kirby told reporters on May 16.

This is the first time Russia has announced the destruction of a Patriot system that the US transferred to Ukraine. If confirmed, this would be a huge loss for Ukraine's air defense network, because Patriot was once expected to be a weapon that could significantly change the situation in the sky of this country.

Ukraine is deploying two Patriot systems to protect key targets in Kiev. One system was delivered by the US, the other by Germany and the Netherlands.