MOSCOW – On Saturday, the Russian navy conducted another test of a future hypersonic missile, a demonstration of the military’s ability to strike long-range strikes amid fighting in Ukraine.
The Ministry of Defense announced that the frigate “Admiral Gorshkov” of the Northern Fleet in the White Sea launched the Zircon cruise missile in the Barents Sea, successfully hitting a training target in the White Sea about 1000 kilometers (540 nautical miles).
The launch was the latest in a series of tests on Zircon, which should be operational later this year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Zircon is capable of flying at nine times the speed of sound and has a range of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles). Putin stressed that his deployment would significantly increase the capabilities of the Russian military.
Zircon is designed to arm Russian cruisers, frigates and submarines and can be used both against enemy ships and against ground targets. This is one of several hypersonic missiles being developed in Russia.
Russian officials have boasted of Zircon’s capabilities, saying it is impossible to intercept existing anti-missile systems.
Putin, who has strongly warned Western allies not to intervene in Ukraine, has warned in the past that Russian warships armed with zircon will give Russia the ability to strike at “decision-making centers” within minutes if located in neutral waters.
———
Follow all the events of the AP in the fighting in Ukraine at
Add Comment