Russia's miss on Ukraine's Patriot: A near miss at Kyiv airport
The Russian hunt for Patriot systems used by Ukraine continues relentlessly. This is evidenced by photos from Google Maps, published on the X platform. According to experts in open-source intelligence, they show a Patriot missile launcher at Zhuliany International Airport in Kyiv, with a crater formed by a Russian missile strike located just 55 yards from it.
6:28 PM EDT, October 31, 2024
The photo, showing the Russian "failure," is said to be from the end of September 2023, but experts in open-source intelligence have only now taken notice of it. It shows that the Russian missile did not hit the designated target, which was the Ukrainian Patriot system launcher. The result was merely a massive crater located about 55 yards from the weapon. The launcher itself was most likely not damaged, as it was protected from potential fragment impacts by embankments built around it.
Patriot systems in Ukraine
The Patriot systems have been operating in Ukraine since April 2023. Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States provided these systems. This modern American surface-to-air missile system has repeatedly proven its effectiveness, particularly in countering threats from long-range missiles and rockets that Russia regularly fires at Ukrainian territory. The Patriot system's main task is detecting, intercepting, and destroying incoming missiles, projectiles, and aircraft and loitering munitions before reaching their targets.
Depending on the type of anti-aircraft missiles used, the Patriot system can neutralize targets up to 100 miles from the launch site. For example, the PAC-3 version, equipped with hit-to-kill ERINT technology, uses kinetic energy to destroy targets and can intercept modern ballistic missiles within a range of up to 22 miles. This capability allows for avoiding destruction directly over populated areas, minimizing risks associated with falling debris from intercepted missiles.
Each system battery provided to Ukraine, including the latest PAC-3+ with significantly greater capabilities, constitutes an essential defensive element. These systems can shoot down ballistic missiles and guided glide bombs, making them extremely valuable in defending against the opponent's technological superiority. Thanks to the Patriot systems, Ukrainian defense has managed to neutralize, among others, Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, which were previously considered nearly indestructible. Such successes demonstrate how important modern defensive technologies are in stopping Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities.
