Video on social media shows a suspected Ukrainian Patriot missile system firing 30 missiles in two minutes to counter an airstrike from Russia.
The Milinfolive Telegram account, which specializes in posting documents about Russian forces fighting in Ukraine, today shared video from a public security camera in the capital Kiev, showing the activity of an air defense site suspected to be a long-range Patriot missile in the early morning of May 16.
In the video, 30 missiles are launched from a site in Kiev in two minutes and fly in multiple directions. A large flash of light is seen at the launch site a few minutes later, but it is unclear whether the site was hit by an attack.
Ukrainian air defense system opened fire in the early morning of May 16. Video: Telegram/Milinfolive
The Russian Defense Ministry has not commented on the information. Ukrainian government officials said that Russia carried out an "unusually fierce" attack on Kiev targets with the largest number of missiles in the shortest time in the early morning of May 16.
The Kiev capital's military said that air defense systems intercepted a number of objects in the sky over the city, adding that debris fell in the inner city districts of Obolonsky, Shevchenkivsky, Solomyansky and Darnytskyi.
The Ukrainian military later announced that it had shot down all 18 missiles and 9 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used by the enemy in the raid.
Russia has launched drones and missiles at the capital Kiev and other areas almost every night over the past week. Natalia Humeniuk, a spokeswoman for the Ukrainian military’s Southern Operations Command, said Moscow was increasing the intensity of its airstrikes to assess and locate Ukrainian air defense systems and try to erode the enemy’s defenses.
The air defense network in Kiev is being significantly reinforced by modern Western complexes, notably the Patriot system, helping Ukraine protect important targets.
Two unnamed US officials said Russia had discovered the location of the Patriot site in Kiev and decided to attack with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile in the early morning of May 4. However, the attack failed when the Ukrainian army fired multiple Patriot missiles to shoot down the Russian Kinzhal missile.
The situation of the war in Ukraine. Graphics: WP
Patriot is expected to be a weapon that can significantly change the situation in the skies of Ukraine, thanks to its superior combat capabilities compared to the air defense systems that Washington has transferred to Kiev. However, experts warn that Patriot cannot solve all of Ukraine's air defense problems.
One of the barriers to deploying the Patriot system in Ukraine is the cost. A report last year by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said a Patriot missile costs about $4 million. Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, former commander of the U.S. Army in Europe, said the high cost of the interceptor makes it impossible for Ukraine to use the Patriot to counter all Russian attacks.
Vu Anh (According to Reuters )
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