Russia announced that the country has successfully tested a hypersonic Zircon cruise missile on Saturday.
According to the reports, the cruise missile has previously been talked about as a major breakthrough in weapons development.
In a video that was leaked on social media, the missile was fired from the Barents Sea, clearing a distance of 625 miles as it strikes a target in the White Sea with great precision.
In a news published by Russian state news agency TASS, the defense ministry announced, “today, the lead frigate of Project 22350 Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov fired a Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile at a sea target position in the White Sea from the Barents Sea.”
The intelligence on the new weapon also revealed that the missile can travel nine times the speed of sound. It is also intended to “arm Russian cruisers, frigates and submarines and could be used against both enemy ships and ground targets. It is one of several hypersonic missiles under development in Russia.” ABC news noted in a report.
Moreover, the ministry also boasted about the missile, claiming that “it’s impossible to intercept with existing anti-missile systems due to the “plasma shield” it creates while flying, making it practically invisible to active radar systems.”
In addition, the country has also reportedly completed test launches of the Sarmat which was recorded as an intercontinental missile that can carry nuclear warheads.
Despite the extensive nuclear programs and evolving weaponry that other countries like China, the United States, Israel, and others continue to boast, Russia is reportedly “maintaining the world’s largest stockpile of nuclear warheads by sheer volume.”
However, even if the country shows impressive launches and tests of cutting edge ballistics, Russia is still struggling to provide weapons to the country’s military forces that are being deployed in certain regions of Ukraine amid the ongoing battle between the two countries.
In a report released by British intelligence, the Russian government allegedly deployed outdated Soviet-era T-62 tanks to support the current invasion of Ukraine. However, old weaponry may be dangerous to Russian troops as Ukrainian forces seek to exploit decades-old weaknesses.
