WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S.-made&nbsp;Patriot&nbsp;missile&nbsp;defense&nbsp;system&nbsp;being&nbsp;used by&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;likely&nbsp;suffered some damage from a Russian strike, two U.S. officials said on Tuesday, adding that it did not appear to have been destroyed.
The&nbsp;Patriot&nbsp;system&nbsp;is one of an array of sophisticated air&nbsp;defense&nbsp;units supplied by the West to help&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;repel a Russian campaign of air strikes that has targeted critical infrastructure, power facilities and other sites.
One U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity and citing initial information, said Washington and Kyiv were already talking about the best way to repair the&nbsp;system&nbsp;and at this point it did not appear the&nbsp;system&nbsp;would have to be removed from&nbsp;Ukraine.
The official added that the United States would have a better understanding in the coming days and information could change over time.
The&nbsp;Patriot&nbsp;is considered to be one of the most advanced U.S. air&nbsp;defense&nbsp;systems, including against aircraft, cruise&nbsp;missiles and ballistic&nbsp;missiles. It typically includes launchers along with radar and other support vehicles.
Russia's&nbsp;defense&nbsp;ministry said on Tuesday that it had destroyed a U.S.-built&nbsp;Patriot&nbsp;surface-to-air&nbsp;missile&nbsp;defense&nbsp;system&nbsp;with a "hypersonic" Kinzhal&nbsp;missile&nbsp;in an overnight strike on&nbsp;Ukraine.
Ukraine&nbsp;said earlier that it had shot down 18 Russian&nbsp;missiles overnight, including an entire volley of six Kinzhals. When asked about the Ukrainian claim, Russian&nbsp;Defense&nbsp;Minister Sergei Shoigu dismissed it, the RIA news agency reported.
It was not clear which Western weapon&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;used. The Pentagon had no immediate comment.
&nbsp;
(Reporting by Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart and Mike Stone; editing by Grant McCool)

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Patriot missile defense system in Ukraine likely damaged -US sources