Putin's 'Undefeatable' Killjoy Super Weapon Missing Intended Targets: UK

A missile that Russian President Vladimir Putin once dubbed as "undefeatable" is not hitting its targets in Ukraine, according to British defense officials.

Putin has boasted about the capabilities of the AS-24 KILLJOY air-launched ballistic missile, which can have a nuclear payload and can travel faster than the HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) that the U.S. has given Ukraine.

In its latest update, the British Ministry of Defense (MOD) said that the Russian Air Force "highly likely" fired at least one AS-24 KILLJOY on December 14 at a military airfield into central Ukraine, without specifying the location further.

This was probably the first time since August that Russia had fired the missiles, which are one of the six "super weapons" announced by Putin in 2018 as playing a significant role for Russia's military doctrine.

"KILLJOY has almost certainly had a mixed combat debut," the U.K. MOD said on Tuesday about the missile which Russia has reserved for what it considers to be high-value, well defended targets.

"Many of its launches have likely missed their intended targets, while Ukraine has also succeeded in intercepting attacks by this supposedly 'undefeatable' system," it added. Newsweek has contacted the Russian Defense Ministry for comment by email.

In May, British defense officials said that Ukraine had achieved the first ever shoot-down of the Killjoy and that as Russia tried to neutralize Ukraine's improved air defense capabilities, it "likely lost several more" of the missiles.

"The apparent vulnerability of Killjoy is likely a surprise and an embarrassment for Russia," the British update back in spring said.

Over a year ago, British defense officials had said that Russia had parked an AS-24 Killjoy, also known as the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal, at the Machulishchy Airfield in the Minsk region as part of a ploy to portray Minsk as being "increasingly complicit" in the war in Ukraine.

Kyiv has said that Russia is stepping up drone attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure with the aim of targeting energy and civilian sites over winter.

On December 16, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed deals for air defense support which include a new Patriot defense system from Germany and Norway allocating $30.5 million in NASAMS.

It comes as it was revealed Monday that the Pentagon warned in letters to congressional defense committees that it would run out of money for arms and equipment for Ukraine on December 30 unless the U.S. Congress passes additional funding.

White House officials have also said that Ukraine funds may run out by the end of the year as an additional $61 billion remains stuck in Congress.

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