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In one of the most violent airstrikes on Ukraine's cities so far this invasion, Russia last night tried to overwhelm Kiev's air defenses and destroy one of the Patriot batteries defending the capital.

With a large number of projectiles of different types, Russia tried to hit multiple targets in Kiev. Ukraine says it shot down all the missiles (18) launched from three different directions, south, north and east of the country, and that included six Kinzhal missiles, nine Kaliber, three S400 and nine drones, six Shahed-136 of Iranian origin and three Russian Orlan drones.

As in any war, the summary of the attack looks very different on both sides. For Ukraine, it has been a success, because its air defense has shot down all missiles. For Russia, their mission has been fulfilled because they have managed, according to them, to destroy the Patriot battery that guards the skies of the capital.

Low credibility

The problem is that the Russian Ministry of Defense collects a catalogue of lies at this stage of the war that is difficult to match. That has blown up its credibility. He has also shown no proof of his alleged target. In his daily address, the colonel who gives the Russian war report has even announced the destruction of Western equipment that had not even reached Ukraine at that time or has claimed that the Z troops have shot down more HIMARS launchers than those officially delivered by the United States.

The Kinzhal missile, the most technological device in the Russian arsenal, is offered to the world as "undetectable" and "invulnerable" due to its hypersonic condition, that is, it flies at more than 5,000 kilometers per second. But last week Ukraine said it had shot down one thanks to a U.S. Patriot shuttle. Washington corroborated the shootdown and the mayor of Kiev, former boxer Vitali Klitschko posed with the remains of the Russian missile.

On this occasion, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, six Kinzhal missiles have been shot down, that is, all those launched, which is a humiliation not only to the Russian army, but to its arms industry. That a system like the Patriot, with decades of service behind it, is capable of shooting down the projectiles that are destined for its destruction, is a very severe propaganda blow.

Remains

What Ukrainians did find this morning on their way to work are the smoking remains of downed missiles, including those from the Kinzhal, in parks, bus stations and parking lots. Some of this wreckage burned several vehicles, but no further damage was reported.

According to analyst Konrad Muzyka, a specialist on Russia, "Moscow has intensified air and missile strikes against targets across Ukraine. Although attacks occur every few days (compared to every two weeks during the winter), the number of missiles used in these attacks is too small to deliver tangible results."

Russia also said yesterday that it had shot down its first Storm Shadow missile of British origin, although it did not give evidence of this. Ukraine has been bombing Russian military installations in the city of Luhansk in recent days with the help of MALD projectiles, which are a mere decoy. The MALDs arrive earlier, attract Russian air defenses and clear the way for the Storm Shadow, which aspita to hit Russian logistics just as the HIMARS rocket system did for months.

In his recent visit to France, Emmanuel Macron promised Volodymyr Zelensky the delivery of his own version of the Storm Shadow, which is the Scalp missile. With these systems, Ukraine once again has all Russian logistics in range, as well as vital communication nodes and even the Kersh bridge linking Crimea with mainland Russia. That may be one of the next targets chosen by Ukrainians.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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