Russia tests hypersonic missile in Barents Sea

MOSCOW: Russia said yesterday it had carried out another successful test of its Zircon hypersonic cruise missile, a new addition to an arsenal of weapons called “invincible” by President Vladimir Putin.

Moscow has in recent years touted the development of futuristic weapons, which it hopes will give it the edge in any arms race with the United States at a time of growing tensions with the West.

Footage distributed by the Defence Ministry showed the Admiral Gorshkov warship launching the cruise missile at a target on the Barents Sea coast in northern Russia.

“The Zircon missile successfully hit a target directly at a range of over 350km. The flight speed reached nearly Mach 7,” the ministry said.

Putin revealed the development of the new weapon in a state of the nation address in February 2019, saying it could hit targets at sea and on land with a range of 1,000km and a speed of Mach 9.

The Defence Ministry had said it planned to equip both warships and submarines with the Zircon.

The missile has undergone several recent tests and in October last year Putin described one of the test firings as a “great event not just in the life of our armed forces but for all of Russia”.

Russia said yesterday it would stage military drills next month with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan near the border with Afghanistan where the Taliban had led a lightning offensive against government troops.

The insurgents have capitalised on the withdrawal of foreign troops to launch a series of offensives across the country.

The joint drills will take place on Aug 5 to 10 at the Kharbmaidon training ground in Tajikistan near the Afghan border, the Russian Defence Ministry said.