The US authorities are almost completely sure that the Armed Forces of Ukraine shot down a Russian hypersonic missile "Dagger" over Kiev, using the American anti-aircraft missile system (SAM) Patriot. CNN writes about this, citing a source familiar with the situation.
According to him, this was an important event for the Pentagon. The fact is that previously only the ability of the Patriot to successfully intercept ballistic missiles was confirmed. The ability of air defense systems to stop hypersonic was only theoretical. A CNN source stressed that the downing of the Kinzhal is also considered important because of the "advertising" campaign launched around the missile by the Russian authorities. So, Vladimir Putin, during his March message to the Federal Assembly in 2018, called the "Dagger" a missile capable of overcoming all existing air defense systems (air defense).
CNN also notes that the production of hypersonic missiles has always been a problem for Russia, and the sanctions have only worsened its situation. In addition, the Pentagon considers the missile downing an indicator of the success of its investments in the Ukrainian army. The interception of the "Dagger" was carried out by a team of military men who were trained in Oklahoma. On the battlefield, they acted without American mentors.
The first destruction of the Kinzhal for Ukraine took place on May 4. Journalists from the Defense Express publication received photos of the wreckage of the rocket from sources and determined that it was shot down at 2:40 in the night in the Kyiv region. The APU denied this statement. Journalists suggest that Ukraine did not want to disclose its capabilities to destroy hypersonic missiles, but already on May 6, the Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykola Oleshchuk confirmed the fact of the downing of the "Dagger". Earlier , Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu argued that the "Daggers" could not be "neither detected nor intercepted."