Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a frigate armed with hypersonic cruise missiles to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans to show off his military might as the war in Ukraine rages on. Putin attended a ceremony marking the launch of the warship Admiral Gorshkov via videoconference on Wednesday. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and the commander of the frigate Igor Kurochimar were also involved.”The ship is equipped with the most modern and unique hypersonic missile system “Zircon” Putin said before embarking on a combat mission.
“I hope the crew will serve their country well,” he added. Shoigu said the frigates will sail to the Atlantic, Indian and Mediterranean oceans. He added that it was capable of “precise and powerful strikes against adversaries at sea and on land”, and that the mounted hypersonic missile could defeat any missile defense system, with a range of 1,000 kilometers (620 km).
Miles said to have a range of more than. The high-profile test came despite Moscow’s heavy casualties in personnel and equipment in the nearly year-long invasion of Ukraine that brought a stalemate to Russia’s relations with the West. Despite its name, analysts say the hypersonic weapon’s key attribute isn’t speed, but that it can match or even exceed conventional ballistic missile warheads. This weapon is seen as a means of gaining an edge over any opponent, as it can potentially dodge missile shields and early warning systems.
