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| Russia's Admiral Gorshkov Warship Officially Begins Combat Duty |
Moscow - Russia's first warship carrying the Zircon hypersonic cruise missile, Admiral Gorshkov, officially started routine combat duty starting today, Wednesday (4/1/2023). Russian President Vladimir Putin personally supervised the ceremony via video link. He said that the Zircon missile is a unique weapon and no country has anything comparable to it. “I believe such a powerful arsenal will allow us to defend Russia against potential foreign threats. It will help safeguard our country's national interests," Putin said as quoted by Russia Today.
According to Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, the frigate will make voyages in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. "A ship equipped with the Zircon (missile) is capable of carrying out powerful and high-precision strikes against enemies at sea and on land," Shoigu said.
"The unique feature of the Zircon hypersonic missile is its guaranteed ability to bypass existing or prospective air defense systems," he added. Shoigu added that the missile has a range of more than 1,000 kilometers.
The frigate first joined Russia's Northern Fleet in 2018. Onboard trials of the Zircon hypersonic missile began in 2020 and were completed last year.