Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that using US-provided Patriot anti-missile systems ensured a 100% interception rate and would play a role in pushing forward against Russia's invasion.
"When Patriots in the hands of Ukrainians ensure a 100% interception rate of any Russian missile, terror will be defeated," Zelensky said in his nightly video address.
The president said that with military successes "and with our Patriots, we have to continue responding to Russia and all its manifestations of evil."
Zelensky made his remarks after overnight and daytime attacks on Kyiv and other targets by Russian missiles and drones.
Ukraine has been intercepting Russian missiles
The general staff of Ukraine's armed forces said in its evening report that all 11 missiles used in the daytime attacks had been destroyed. But it made no mention of the Patriot systems.
Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraine's air force, suggested the Patriot was behind the latest results against incoming Iskander ballistic missiles.
"I think you can guess," Ihnat told Ukrainian television. "If Iskander-M missiles are intercepted, you can draw conclusions about the means that specifically targeted the objectives -- ballistic targets."
Ukraine says it destroyed more than 20 drones in Russia-launched attack on Kyiv
Ukraine air defense forces destroyed more than 20 drones in Russia-launched overnight air attacks on Kyiv, the military administration of the Ukrainian capital said early on Tuesday.
Calling it a "massive" attack launched in several waves, Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv's military administration, said on the Telegram messaging app that Russia conducted the assault using Iranian-made Shahed drones only.
It was the third attack on the city in 24 hours. It was not immediately known how many drones Russia launched.