It seems that a year ago they managed to shoot down one kinzhal missile. From my understanding, they shot it down in its “final approach”/maneuver to target stage, which happens at subsonic speed.
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/05/6/7400941/
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/ukraine-ap-kyiv-netherlands-moscow-b2333737.html
The actual hypersonic missiles can maneuver at hypersonic speeds, and Russia hasn’t used those in Ukraine yet.
They never shot down a Kinzhal, those sources you linked are basically Ukro propaganda cope. Russia has and continues to use hypersonics in Ukraine which neither Ukraine’s remaining legacy Soviet S300 nor their Western provided Patriot systems (multiple of which have already been taken out by these missiles) can shoot down.
But Kinzhal isn’t a “real” hypersonic missile because it doesn’t maneuver and change trajectory while at hypersonic speeds. That’s why it is possible to intercept it at the last moment when it is on its way to the target.
I was also skeptical about their claims, but I am inclined to believe them because they say they shot down one a year ago. A situation where stars align, similar to Serbs shooting down a “stealth” F-117A in 1999 using a Soviet S-300 system.
Russia hasn’t used their whole arsenal in Ukraine, they haven’t used their “glide” hypersonic missiles, the ones that maneuver while hypersonic and can’t be intercepted by Western AA. Those are the ones that can reach EU capitals within 5 minutes to deliver a nuclear warhead.
It’s good to be skeptical of any claims that are extreme, and “Kinzhals have never been shot down” seems like a strong claim, like you would expect by simple random chance that one might eventually get shot down. However, I distinctly remember the ‘Kinzhal shootdown’ story, so I present you these images.
This is what a Kinzhal looks like strapped to a Russian plane
This is the 'shot down Kinzhal' presented to the media by a high ranking Ukrainian official (I forget his name)
Bonus: Another 'Kinzhal' Ukraine claimed to have shot down two months later
(It’s the same one)
