Russian forces delivered a strike with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile against a US-made Patriot air defense system in Kiev over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Tuesday.
"A high-precision strike by a Kinzhal hypersonic missile system hit a US-made Patriot air defense system in Kiev," the spokesman said.
The US Department of Defense claimed on May 9 that Ukraine had shot down Russia’s latest Kinzhal hypersonic missile by a Patriot air defense system delivered to Kiev. Pentagon Press Secretary Patrick Ryder answered in the affirmative when asked to confirm that Ukraine had shot down a Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missile with a Patriot air defense system.
Later, a high-placed source in the Russian Defense Ministry told TASS that Kiev was engaged in wishful thinking with its claims of intercepting a Kinzhal hypersonic missile because it was invulnerable to Patriot air defense systems.
The Kinzhal is Russia’s latest system with hypersonic aero-ballistic missiles carried by specially equipped MiG-31K fighters-interceptors. The Kinzhal missile features low radar signature and high maneuverability and is designed to strike ground and naval targets.
Another report adds: After denouncing the no longer relevant treaty on conventional armed forces in Europe (CFE Treaty), Russia is free to deploy weapons wherever necessary to protect its national interests, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, said on his Telegram account on Tuesday.
"The State Duma has denounced the CFE Treaty. Good riddance. This document became irrelevant for us back in 2007. Now, none of the previously suspended international commitments can prevent us from placing our weapons wherever we want to protect our national interests. Including the part of Russia that is in Europe," Medvedev wrote, adding that Russia would "maximize the production of weapons, military and special equipment and means of destruction."
Medvedev also responded to French President Emmanuel Macron's statement that Russia was suffering a geopolitical defeat and becoming too dependent on China.
"By the way, cheers to Macron. According to his logic, this is also a geopolitical loss for Russia," he wrote.
The CFE Treaty was signed in 1990 and adapted in 1997. NATO countries did not ratify the adapted version of this document and continued to adhere to the 1990 provisions, which contain conventional arms norms that were applicable to the balance between NATO and the Warsaw Pact. As a result, Russia was forced to declare a moratorium on implementing the terms of the agreement in 2007.
On March 11, 2015 Russia suspended its participation in meetings of the Joint Consultative Group on the CFE Treaty, thus completing the process of suspending its membership in the treaty, while legally still remaining a signatory to it. Since then, Russia's interests in the Joint Consultative Group have been represented by Belarus.
