Ukraine downs five Russian ballistic missiles as Kyiv looks to harden air defences
Ukraine successfully intercepted five Russian ballistic missiles overnight, though other projectiles caused damage in Kyiv. The incident underscores Ukraine's urgent need for improved air defense systems as it seeks to protect infrastructure from ongoing Russian strikes.
Why it matters
The ability to counter advanced ballistic missiles is critical for Ukraine's survival and its ongoing military strategy against Russian aggression.
Ukrainian air defences intercepted five ballistic missiles launched by Russia in a raft of overnight attacks, Ukraine's air force said Tuesday, though other missiles and drones got through and hit the capital Kyiv.
It was the first time in almost two weeks that Ukraine claimed to have downed Russian ballistic missiles, which are harder to stop than drones or cruise missiles.
Ukrainian air defences likely used the U.S.-made Patriot surface-to-air guided missile system, which is the most effective way of countering ballistic missiles, but ammunition for it has been in short supply amid the Iran war.
In Kyiv, the attack caused fires at two warehouses, while a school was also damaged, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
The Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement that the attack targeted military manufacturing facilities in the Ukrainian capital that produce long-range missiles and drones.
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