Zircon: Which hypersonic missile was Russia's first use in Ukraine? Vladimir Putin | Battle | Volodymyr Zelensky Weapons | the world

In almost two years of war, Russia For the first time the advanced Zircon hypersonic missile was used against Ukraine. State-owned Kyiv Scientific Research Institute for Forensic Examinations (KNDISE) It confirmed it had evidence of the attack on the Ukrainian capital on February 7.

“KNDISE experts are studying the Russian missiles hit by the enemy Ukraine On February 7, 2024. According to preliminary information, The 3M22 Zircon missile was actually used“, the director of the company wrote, Oleksandr Ruvinon his Telegram channel and it was quoted by EFE.

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He KNDISE They found it at the point of impact “Markings on pieces and pieces, identification of components and pieces and characteristics of this type of weapon.”

“In this case, We see the specific components of the 3M22 Zircon missile. Parts and remains of the engine and steering mechanisms have specific markings,” he said.

He Zircon hypersonic missile It was sent to an area with no military installations, but rather civilian infrastructure and population, Ruvin said.

Publication in telegram It was accompanied by a video showing dozens of remnants of new ones Zircon hypersonic missile.

Ukraine Four people were killed and 38 wounded at Q during Russian attacks on 7 February, but no direct casualties were reported. Zircon hypersonic missile.

The entrance of Zircon in battle Ukraine's air defenses could be a problemIt has improved with the advent of systems The patriot But that could prove insufficient for an interception now Hypersonic weapon.

According to official data collected by CNNIn addition to the attack on February 7 Zircon, Russia used three ballistic missiles Iskandar and four cruise missiles Kh-22 He avoided attempts to bring them down.

It is not known from which site it was published. ZirconBut in January 2023, the President of Russia, Vladimir Putinsaid warship Admiral Gorshkov was armed with these hypersonic missiles.

What would a Zircon hypersonic missile look like?

He 3M22 zircon It was a cruise missile Hypersonic The anti-ship has a range of 600 to 1,500 kilometers. It entered service by the end of 2022.

According to Russia, Zircon travels 9 times the speed of sound. This makes it practically indestructible, as it does not give anti-aircraft defenses time to respond even in the most developed Western countries.

According to the CNN network Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA)Based in the United States, or similar advanced security systems The patriot Can be intercepted Zircon.

MDAA pointed out in a test in April 2017, Zircon has managed to reach a speed that is in the Mach 8 category, about 9,878 kilometers per hour. From the Mach 5 category, the missiles are considered 'supersonic'.

However, Russia noted that its maximum speed would be in 2023, when the missile would be ready for use. Mach 9.

“If that information is correct, The Zircon missile will be the fastest in the world“, so it's almost impossible to defend yourself because of his speed alone,” he says Medicines On his website.

He Zircon It is a two-stage missile that uses solid fuel in the first stage and a scramjet engine in the second stage, MDAA details.

“During the journey, the missile is completely covered by the plasma cloud, which absorbs any radio frequency radiation and makes it invisible to radars. This allows the missile to go unnoticed on its way to the target,” he adds.

In addition to warships, Zircon can also be installed on ships and submarinesand can be used against enemy ships and targets on land.

Putin has described zircon as a powerful weapon capable of penetrating any missile defense.

He also said that its range will be up to 1,500 kilometers. Zircon provides long-range conventional strike capability to the Russian militaryAllows you to accurately hit any enemy target.

Putin said the Zircon was a response to the work the US was doing to improve its rapid global strike capability.l, it can reach enemy strategic targets with precision remote-controlled conventional weapons anywhere in the world within an hour.

“This is a unique weapon… no country in the world has an equal weapon,” Putin declared In January 2023.

It is not known how many zircons Russia has produced. Security experts argue that this is a new and expensive technology.

Siddharth Kaushal, an analyst at the Royal United Services Institute in London, wrote about the topic last year following the deployment of Admiral Gorshkov with Zircon missiles.

“A key consideration is capacity Russia Create and deploy a system like Zircon On a larger scale, the program will compete for funding and other resources with priorities such as rebuilding the Russian ground forces in particular,” he said.

Other Russian hypersonic weapons

Vanguard

Los Vanguard son Hypersonic missiles Capable of changing course and altitude at very high speeds and creating them “Practically invincible.”

They were successfully tested in December 2018. Its speed reached Mach 27 or 27 times the speed of sound.and hit a target located 6,000 km away, the Defense Ministry said Russia As quoted by AFP. A year later they were inducted into the service.

As it approaches its target, the missile can adjust altitude and direction to avoid defense systems.

he said Putin In 2018, the system will be able to perform lateral and vertical maneuvers”Several thousand kilometers”, which makes it “invulnerable” to all anti-missile systems.

He President This type of projectile is referred to as It approaches its target like “a meteor, a flaming ball, a fireball.” Its surface temperature reaches 1,600 to 2,000 degrees Celsius.

Kinchal

He Kinchal (Punch in Russian) is one of the latest and most advanced Russian weapons. According to the Russian military, if this projectile Hypersonic It is air-launched and has a range of up to 2,000 kilometers and flies at 10 times the speed of sound (Mach 10), making it difficult to intercept.

“The combination of hypersonic speed and heavy warships allows Kinchal “Destroy heavily fortified targets such as underground bunkers or tunnels,” notes the AP.

used by Russia Kinchal to hit targets Ukraine From the first days of the invasion in February 2022, but it used them sparingly and against priority targets, apparently reflecting the small number of these missiles.

He Kinchal In addition to conventional payloads, it can also carry nuclear warheads.

He Kinchal It is carried by MiG-31 fighter jets, some of which are based in Belarus. Russia uses its allied territory as a staging ground for invasion and keeps its forces and weapons there.

This is Hypersonic missile It is very difficult to intercept due to maneuverability. Its size is 8 meters And it can change its course in the air and deviate if necessary, says the Infobae portal.