Russia Fires 3 Kinzhal Hypersonic Missiles At Ukraine
Moscow - Russian troops have fired three Kinzhal hypersonic missiles at Ukraine during the war. Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu claimed the results of the advanced missile strike were extraordinary. "The Kinzhal hypersonic missile has been used by us on three occasions during special military operations in Ukraine, and it demonstrated its outstanding quality on three occasions, a quality that no other similar missile in the world has," Shoigu continued. Today, Monday (22/8/2022).
The Kinzhal is a Russian hypersonic surface-to-air missile that entered service in 2017. It can travel at a speed of Mach 12 (approximately 14,800 km/h) while continuously performing evasive maneuvers, allowing it to penetrate any existing air defense.
Weapons that can carry nuclear warheads are usually launched by Tu-22M3 bombers or MiG-3 interceptors. The Ministry of Defense first reported the Kinzhal hypersonic missile attack in mid-March, saying it destroyed an armory near the Ukrainian city of Ivano-Frankovsk.
The Kinzhal is one of several hypersonic weapons systems developed for the Russian military in recent years, along with the Avangard launcher mounted on a silo-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), and the Zircon missile to be used by the Navy.
Shoigu also confirmed the expansion of the deployment of Russia's fifth-generation Su-57 stealth fighter in the war in Ukraine. "This plane has a very high level of protection against various air defense systems, it has missile protection. There are many things ... most importantly, it also has very powerful weapons," he explained.
"We have also tested these weapons, tried them and they work perfectly," he said. Russia began to invade Ukraine since February 24, 2022, which Moscow claims is a special military operation to crush neo-Nazis in Ukraine. The invasion began after the Kremlin recognized the two Donbas republics, Donetsk and Luhansk, as independent states from Ukraine. However, Kiev insists the Russian attack was completely unwarranted.