"Historic event": the Air Force confirmed the shooting down of the Russian hypersonic rocket "Dingzhal" in the sky over the Kiev region

Ukrainian air defense forces shot down a Russian Kh-47 "Dagger" ballistic missile for the first time. Russia attacked Ukraine with it on the night of May 4.

"The Kynzhal was shot down in the sky over Kyiv Region with the help of an American Patriot system. The historic event was confirmed by the commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Nikolay Oleshchuk.

"I congratulate the Ukrainian people on the historical event! Yes, we shot down the "unparalleled" Dagger! It happened during a night attack on May 4 in the skies of Kyiv region. The Kh-47 missile was fired by a MiG-31K from Russian territory," said the commander of the AFU.

He added that the enemy missile was shot down with the help of the American MIM-104 Patriot SAM system, which was transferred to Ukraine by its Western partners.

Oleschuk also asked journalists, experts, and public figures not to rush to publicize even such great news before the Ukrainian Armed Forces do.

"And one more thing, there is no need to run, as they say in Ukraine, "ahead of the father in the furnace," prematurely publicize information that can be used by the enemy! We will definitely report what, where, with what, and when it was shot down! All in good time. When loud explosions are heard in the air, my daughter calms the neighbors every time with the words: calm down, our air defense is working! Talk to your neighbors too, help each other in difficult moments, believe in our Air Force, believe in the Air Defense! Ukraine will win!" - noted the Commander of the Air Force.

Russian Kh-47 M "Kinzhal" missiles have been in service with the Russian army since 2018. In the Russian Federation they are called "hypersonic," but in fact, it is a ballistic missile.

The warhead of the X-47M is 500 kg, the speed of the missile is 3500 - more than 12000 km/h. After launching from an airplane, the missile rises to a high altitude into the upper atmosphere. And when it sunsets on target it can reach a speed of about 12,000 km/h along a ballistic trajectory.

During more than a year of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has used its Dagger missiles several times to strike the territory of our state. In particular, the Russian Defense Ministry first announced the launch of the Kh-47 in the Ivano-Frankivsk region on March 18, 2022 - "at an underground military formation near Delyatin, Ivano-Frankivsk region." At that time, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry was unable to establish the type of weaponry used in the strike.

On May 9, 2022, three Kinnzhal missiles were launched from Tu-22M3 strategic airplanes against civilian targets in the Odessa region. The strike injured two people and destroyed five tourist infrastructure buildings.

But the most famous was the Russian attack on Vinnytsia Oblast on August 7, when the invaders struck military facilities in the region with "Dagger" missiles.

A record six missiles were used during another massive missile strike against critical infrastructure on the night of March 8-9, 2023.

Ukrainian intelligence claims that Russia has only a few dozen KINZHALs. However, until March 4, the Ukrainian air defense could not shoot them down. Now the situation has drastically changed

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