The Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday that it had successfully intercepted 18 Russian missiles that targeted Kyiv in the early hours of the morning, the Washington Examiner reported.
Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov tweeted on Wednesday that the Ukrainian Air Forces shot down six Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and 12 other missiles thanks to the missile defense systems provided by the West.
Reznikov boasted that the Russians “have no chance of prevailing” as their weapons “can and should be countered by Western ones.”
According to the Ukrainian General Staff, the Russian drone and missile attack began at 3:30 in the morning from three different directions. Six Kinzhal Kh-47 hypersonic missiles were launched at Kyiv from Russian MiG-37K fighter jets. Another nine Kalibr winged missiles were launched from ships in the Black Sea and three Iskander-M ballistic missiles were launched from the ground. All 18 missiles were destroyed, the General Staff reported.
With Russian forces running low on artillery rounds, tank ammunition, and missiles, the Kremlin has become increasingly dependent on Iran to resupply its dwindling arsenal of drones, according to the White House.
In a White House press briefing this week, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the US has seen “indications” that Russia and Iran are expanding their defense partnership with Iran remaining Moscow’s “top military backer.”
According to Kirby, since August, Iran has provided Moscow with over 400 drones and Russia has expended most of the drones in its attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. Kirby said the unprecedented military partnership between Moscow and Tehran is “harmful” to Ukraine, the Middle East, and “the international community.”
The White House is expected to announce new sanctions aimed at “third-country actors” who are helping to transfer Iranian-made military equipment to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine.
