Ukraine says it shot down a Russian hypersonic missile

Ukraine said Saturday it had shot down a Russian hypersonic missile for the first time, amid a wave of Russian attacks overnight Wednesday-Thursday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin described the Kinjal missile, which he presented to the public in 2018, as an "ideal weapon" that is very difficult for missile defenses to intercept.

"I congratulate the Ukrainian people on this historic event. Yes, we shot down the unparalleled Kijal missile," General Mykola Oleshchuk said via Telegram.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that the missile was shot down by a Patriot system in the sky over Kiev at around 02:30 am on Thursday (23:30 GMT Wednesday).

Ukraine appealed to its Western allies for help in strengthening its air defense system after Russia bombed Ukraine's energy infrastructure from the air over the winter.

And in mid-April, Ukraine received its first shipment of Patriot, one of the most advanced US air defense systems.