The Patriot air defense missile system has successfully shot down a russian combat aircraft in Ukraine, CNN reports referring to representatives from the Pentagon and Congress.
Although denoted as a fighter aircraft, the description of a "faraway" jet launching strikes from behind the russian lines points out to a bomber or at least a close air support attack aircraft, the exact type wasn't specified.
Read more: US Characterised Patriot System Condition in Ukraine After Russian Kinzhal Attack
"The Russian planes the Patriot targeted were on a bombing run to fire missiles against Ukrainian targets," CNN notes. These sorties aimed to "maximize civilian casualties".
US officials stressed that Ukrainian military commanders make decisions about how and when to engage the Patriot system on their own.
In this context, we can only recall one time in recent days when russian aviation suffered heavy losses. It was the day when they lost at least two scarce Mi-8MTPR-1 EW helicopters and two winged aircraft, one of them being a Su-34. Initially considered as a result of friendly fire, this jet might have been taken out by Patriot instead.
As a reminder, earlier it transpired that among the missiles that the Air Force of Ukraine uses for its Patriot system, there are PAC-3 CRI (Cost Reduction Initiative) interceptors effective against ballistic targets within a range of 40 km.
A fragment of the PAC-3 CRI (Cost Reduction Initiative) interceptor missile from American-made Ukrainian MIM-104F Patriot PAC-3 air defense system on the streets of Kyiv.The PAC-3 CRI missiles are designed to intercept ballistic missiles as well. pic.twitter.com/MfK6jHnlH3— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 16, 2023
Meanwhile, the PAC-2 missile can destroy aerial vehicles such as enemy planes, helicopters, unmanned systems or cruise missiles within a larger range up to 160 km. According to the Patriot system operators themselves, they can choose between the variants of missiles depending on the type of target they are engaging.
Read more: From S-300 Switched Over to Patriot: Ukrainian Operators of American Air Defense Systems About the Differences and Training in Germany
