A Zircon hypersonic cruise missile is fired from Admiral Gorshkov’s guided missile frigate during a test in the Barents Sea, in this still image taken from a video released on May 28, 2022. Russian Ministry of Defense / Brochure via REUTERS
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May 28 (Reuters) – Russia successfully tested a Zircon hypersonic cruise missile at a distance of about 1,000 km (625 miles), the Defense Ministry said on Saturday.
The missile was fired from the Barents Sea and hit a target in the White Sea, he said. The video released by the ministry showed that the missile was fired from a ship and fired into the sky in a sharp trajectory.
President Vladimir Putin has described the Zircon as part of a new generation of unmatched weapon systems. Hypersonic weapons can travel at nine times the speed of sound, and Russia has made previous test launches of the Zircon from warships and submarines last year.
The Russian military has suffered heavy casualties during its three-month invasion of Ukraine, which it calls a “special operation”, but has continued to test high-profile weapons to remind the world of its ability to missile technology.
Last month, it launched a new nuclear-powered intercontinental missile, the Sarmat, capable of carrying 10 or more warheads and striking the United States.
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Report by Mark Trevelyan; Edited by Kirsten Donovan
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