War in Ukraine: intimidation or military escalation, Russia announces new hypersonic missile launch – The Independent

The Russian army announced on Saturday that it had successfully carried out a new test launch of the Zircon hypersonic cruise missile, as Moscow intensifies its offensive in Ukraine. It is a new demonstration of Russian power. this Saturday, the Russian Ministry of Defense published on its site the images of a launch from a ship of the Barents Sea fleet. According to the statement, the Zircon missile was fired from the Admiral Gorchkov frigate in the Barents Sea at a target in the waters of the White Sea in the Arctic, the Russian Defense Ministry said. The web page of the Russian Ministry of Defense this Saturday, May 28. MoD screenshot The target located a thousand kilometers away “has been successfully targeted”, according to the same source. Last month, Russia tested a new nuclear-capable intercontinental missile, the Sarmat, capable of carrying 10 or more warheads and hitting the United States. Russia: “The Northern Fleet frigate Admiral Gorshkov fired a Zircon hypersonic cruise missile from the Barents Sea at a marine target in the White Sea. The firing was carried out as part of the tests of new types of weapons.” pic.twitter.com/4nLkriRofF— Rebecca Rambar (@RebeccaRambar) May 28, 2022 This shot was carried out as part of Russia’s “new weapons trials”, the statement added. President Vladimir Putin has described the Zircon as part of a new generation of unparalleled weapon systems. Hypersonic weapons can travel at nine times the speed of sound, and Russia has already tested launching the Zircon from warships and submarines in recent months. Russia announced last March that it had used “Kinjal” hypersonic missiles in Ukraine, a first in operational combat.