Russia destroys £800m US air system in major attack as Putin's onslaught continues

The US-supplied Patriot, which is worth around £800.8 million, helped shoot down six Russian hypersonic missiles.

Kyiv is currently protected by at least two Patriot systems, with the second gifted by Germany.

A total of four have been promised to the ex-Soviet state.

The Patriot tracks several targets at once and can knock out hypersonic missiles travelling at more than 6,000 kilometres-per-hour.

Residents in the Ukrainian capital were woken at around 3am as Russia mounted its latest aerial attack against Kyiv.

Despite Moscow’s claims about destroying a Patriot, the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces said all of Russia’s air-launched missiles had been successfully intercepted.

Other military chiefs in Kyiv appeared to reject claims made by Vladimir Putin’s allies.

Colonel Yurii Ihna, a spokesman for Ukraine’s Air Force, said: "You see how many [Dagger missiles] they launch at the capital, which is why Kyiv is protected by serious means of air defence.

“The most important thing is that everything that flew to the Kyiv region was destroyed."

However, Kyiv offered no official comment as to whether Putin’s troops had destroyed a Patriot.

An official in Washington told US media outlet CNN that a Patriot battery was likely damaged but not destroyed during the aerial attack.

It is not yet known if the system can be repaired locally or if it needs to be pulled back entirely.

Russia fired a total of six Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, nine Kalibr cruise missiles, six Shahed kamikaze drones, three reconnaissance drones and three ballistic missiles from S-400.

Three people were injured during Tuesday’s attack, Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko has revealed.

Footage shared on social media appeared to show the moment a surface-to-air missile system fired more than 20 times in two minutes.

The structure, which was possibly the Patriot, was later clipped surrounded by an explosion and bright flash without a rocket being launched from the missile battery.

US President Joe Biden announced Washington would give Kyiv a Patriot missile battery system in a military assistance package worth £1.54billion.

The announcement was made when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky travelled to Washington in December for his first foreign trip since Russia launched its invasion of the ex-Soviet state last February.

Putin initially rejected the significance of the US supplying Patriot missiles to Ukraine.

Speaking after Washington announced its December military package, the Russian President said: “The Patriot air defence is outdated.”

But Moscow has ramped up its efforts to overwhelm Kyiv after it alleged Ukraine had launched an attack on Putin’s official residence at the Kremlin.

Ukraine has categorically denied any involvement in the suspected drone strike.

The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence highlighted how aerial combat between Russia and Ukraine has escalated.

In an intelligence update released this morning, the MoD said: “Over the last week, the air battle over the Russia-Ukraine border has intensified.”

The update added: “Russia has prioritised attempting to neutralise Ukraine’s improved air defence capabilities but in the process has likely lost several more KILLJOY.”

Putin previously described the KILLJOY system as undefeatable.