Pentagon confirms Ukraine downed Russian missile with Patriot system

The Ukrainian military has downed a Russian missile using the U.S.-made Patriot missile defense system, the Pentagon’s top spokesman confirmed Tuesday. 

“I can confirm that they did down a Russian missile by employing the Patriot missile defense system,” press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters. “As you know, that system is part of a broader range of air defense capabilities that the United States and the international community have provided to Ukraine.” 

Ukrainian officials said Saturday that a U.S.-supplied Patriot was used to hit an incoming Russian hypersonic missile over Kyiv earlier that week. 

The system destroyed a Kremlin Kinzhal, an armament capable of traveling up to 10 times the speed of sound, Ukrainian Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk said in a post on Telegram. 

The event is believed to be Ukraine’s first use of the U.S.-made defense system, pledged to Kyiv by Washington back in December and arriving in the country last month. 

Ryder said that the U.S. and its allies and partners will “continue to rush ground-based air defense capabilities and munitions to help Ukraine control its sovereign skies and to help Ukraine defend its citizens from Russian cruise missiles and Iranian drones.” 

The Biden administration earlier Tuesday pledged $1.2 billion in long-term military assistance to Ukraine to include air defense systems and munitions.