A U.S.-made Patriot air defense missile in Ukraine failed to reach a Russian hypersonic Tsirkon missile during an attempted interception, according to the Telegram channel Osvedomitel.

The channel said the episode appeared similar to a previous case, with what it described as an attempted missile interception, presumably using an MIM-104 Patriot system. The air defense missile, according to the report, was unable to keep up with the Tsirkons and fell somewhere near the impact area.

Tsirkon is described in official Russian information as the world’s first sea-based hypersonic cruise missile. It is said to be capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 9. The missiles are already being supplied for Project 22350 frigates and Yasen-M multipurpose nuclear submarines. They are also planned for the modernized Admiral Nakhimov cruiser and Project 949A Antey submarines. In the future, newly built frigates and corvettes are also expected to receive Tsirkon missiles.

Kiev came under a massive combined strike during the night of June 15.

Difficulties faced by Ukrainian air defense systems in intercepting complex targets have also been acknowledged by the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Even after Ukraine received a batch of anti-aircraft missiles for U.S.-made Patriot systems, its air defenses managed to shoot down fewer than half of the ballistic missiles launched by Russia, according to Yury Ignat, head of communications for the Ukrainian Armed Forces Air Forces.

Ignat said ballistic missiles remain a serious problem for Ukrainian air defense. During the overnight attack, Russian forces used 34 Iskander-M missiles, fewer than half of which were intercepted. Kiev nevertheless assessed that result as successful.