A new step forward for Ukraine with the Patriot system?
This is the first time Ukraine has claimed to have intercepted an entire salvo of Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, and if confirmed, it would be impressive proof of the effectiveness of the newly deployed Western air defense system, according to Reuters.
Six Kinzhal missiles, ballistic missiles that travel at 10 times the speed of sound, were among the 18 missiles that Russia launched into Ukraine overnight, illuminating the Kyiv sky with flashes of lightning and a shower of debris after they were destroyed in mid-air.
Quick overview: What's the latest development in Russia's military operation in Ukraine on day 446?
The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, stated that they successfully intercepted all of these missiles. According to Zaluzhnyi, Ukrainian forces intercepted six Kinzhal missiles launched from aircraft, as well as nine Kalibr cruise missiles from ships in the Black Sea and three Iskander missiles fired from land.
Missiles exploded in the skies over Kyiv on May 16.
However, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on the same day that its forces had destroyed a Patriot air defense system supplied by the US to Ukraine using Kinzhal missiles, according to the military newspaper Zvezda. The ministry also stated that the attack last night targeted Ukrainian combat units and ammunition depots.
Early on May 16, air raid sirens sounded across almost all of Ukraine, and were maintained in the capital Kyiv and surrounding areas for more than three hours.
Authorities in Kyiv said three people were injured by falling debris. According to Serhiy Popko, head of the city's military administration, last night's attack was unprecedented in scale, with "the largest number of missiles launched in the shortest amount of time."
The more Russia attacks, the stronger Ukraine's air defense system becomes?
Earlier this month, Ukraine claimed for the first time that it had successfully destroyed a Kinzhal missile in Kyiv using the newly deployed US Patriot system. However, Russia called this fake news.
Previously, the Patriot's ability to intercept Kinzhal missiles was only theoretical. The successful interception of six Kinzhal missiles simultaneously demonstrates that the Patriot can be a reliable defense system, not just a matter of luck.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who announced the Kinzhal as one of six "next-generation" weapons in 2018, has frequently lauded the missile as proof of Russia's world- leading military prowess, capable of confronting NATO.
The Kinzhal, whose name means "dagger," can carry conventional or nuclear warheads and has a range of up to 2,000 km. Russia used them in combat for the first time in Ukraine last year and has only admitted to firing them in a few instances.
Russia launches intense airstrikes on Kyiv; Ukraine claims to have shot down all missiles.
Ukraine's First Lady calls on South Korea to provide non-lethal aid.
Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska met with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on May 16 and requested Seoul to provide non-lethal military assistance to Kyiv, the South Korean presidential office said.
Mrs. Zelenska, wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, is visiting South Korea as a special envoy of the president, according to Reuters. She told President Yoon that she hopes Ukraine will receive non-lethal military equipment such as mine detectors from South Korea. Mr. Yoon said South Korea would actively assist the Ukrainian people.
In an interview with South Korean news agency Yonhap published on May 16, Zelenska raised the possibility of Yoon visiting Ukraine, saying the visit would be "very helpful."
Ukraine boasts of progress in Bakhmut, President Zelensky acquires more Western weapons.
South Korea, a major producer of artillery shells, has said it does not supply lethal weapons to Ukraine, citing its relationship with Russia. However, in an interview with Reuters last month, President Yoon said his government might not "just provide humanitarian or financial assistance" if civilians in Ukraine were subjected to large-scale attacks or due to "situations that the international community cannot tolerate."
Is US aid to Ukraine running out?
Given the current rate of spending and the unresolved debt ceiling issue, the US government's budget for Ukraine is running low with no sign of replenishment.
This month, the U.S. announced $1.2 billion in aid, including drones, artillery, air defense systems, software, and technical support to connect Ukraine's air defense systems, CNN reported.
Will the immense pressure to win make it difficult for Ukraine to counterattack?
According to Politico , this means that the $48 billion aid package to Ukraine, approved by the US Congress in December 2022, now has only about $6 billion remaining and is likely to run out by mid-summer. Given this situation, Politico reports that some lawmakers are expressing concern about when the White House will propose a new large aid package and whether it will be sufficient in the context of Ukraine's impending counterattack.
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