MOSCOW — The Russian navy on Saturday conducted another test of a prospective hypersonic missile, a demonstration of the military’s long-range strike capability amid the fighting in Ukraine.
Defense Ministry stated that the Admiral Gorshkov frigate in Northern Fleet, White Sea launched Zircon cruise missiles in the Barents Sea. The Zircon target was approximately 1,000km (540 nautical miles), away.
Zircon is expected to be in service by the end of this year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Zircon has an incredible range and can fly nine times faster than sound. Putin has emphasized that its deployment will significantly boost the capability of Russia’s military.
Zircon will arm Russian cruisers and frigates, as well as submarines. It can also be used to attack enemy ships or ground targets. One of many Russian hypersonic missiles is in development.
Russian officials have boasted about Zircon’s capability, saying that it’s impossible to intercept with existing anti-missile systems.
Putin, who has sternly warned Western allies against interfering in Ukraine, has warned in the past that Russian warships armed with Zircon would give Russia a capability to strike “decision-making centers” within minutes if deployed in neutral waters.
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