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Russia Ukraine War: Kyiv 'shot down' Russian hypersonic missile

Ukraine's air force commander said the missile was shot down using a US Patriot defense system

Representative Image (Photo: DW)
Representative Image (Photo: DW) 

Ukraine said it has shot down a Russian hypersonic missile over Kyiv using newly acquired US Patriot defense systems.

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Ukrainian Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk announced the operation on Telegram on Saturday. He said the Kinzhal-type ballistic missile was intercepted in an overnight attack on May 4.

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"I congratulate the Ukrainian people on the historic event. Yes, we shot down the 'unique' Kinzhal," Oleshchuk wrote.

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The incident is believed to be the first time that Ukraine succeeded in intercepting what's seen as among Moscow's most modern missiles. Russia had previously boasted about the missile's speed and capability.

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The Russian military say it has a range of up to 2000 kilometers (around 1,250 miles), with a speed 10 times that of sound. It is therefore difficult to intercept.

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Here are some of the other notable developments concerning the war in Ukraine on Saturday, May 6:

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Moscow says nationalist author targeted in 'terrorist' bombing

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Russian nationalist writer Zakhar Prilepin was injured in a bombing targeting his car in western Russia's Nizhny Novgorod city, Russian media reported. Moscow called the incident a "terrorist" attack, blaming Ukraine, the US and the UK.

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The author was wounded but conscious, Russia's TASS news agency said on Saturday. It added that preliminary information suggested the car was rigged with an explosive device at the bottom.

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Another person was killed in the explosion, Russia's Interior Ministry said.

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Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused the US and the UK of being responsible for the incident.

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She said in a Telegram post that "Washington and the NATO have fostered another international terrorist cell: the Kyiv regime."

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German court overturns Ukraine flags ban around Soviet monuments

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A court in the German capital Berlin has overturned a police ban on Ukrainian flags around Soviet memorials on May 8 and 9, which mark the commemoration of the end of World War II.

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German police announced on Friday a ban for the second year in a row on any Russian or Ukrainian flags and uniforms as well as George ribbons.

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However, a Ukrainian organization challenged the order at court.

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May 8 and May 9 mark the 78th anniversary of Germany's liberation from National Socialism. May 8 also marks Victory Day in Europe, when German forces surrendered to the Allies during World War II.

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More DW coverage on Russia's war in Ukraine

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Ukrainians living in the occupied east are being forced to take Russian citizenship — otherwise they face deportation. Kyiv is sending mixed signals about what its citizens should do.

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Police confirmed a trip to Germany by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this month. But such plans are usually kept under wraps. One German outlet now cites Kyiv as saying it's furious and considering its options.

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