Support The Moscow Times!

Putin Hails Multiple Launch Test of Hypersonic Missile

Putin speaks at a government meeting via video conference on Dec. 24. Alexey Nikolsky / Sputnik / AFP

President Vladimir Putin said Friday the Russian military successfully fired a simultaneous salvo of its Tsirkon hypersonic missiles, calling it "a big event" for the country. 

As world powers race to develop advanced weaponry, Russia has carried out a number of successful tests of its Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile.

This was however the first time that Russian authorities reported a successful simultaneous launch test of several Tsirkon missiles.

Speaking at a government meeting on Friday, Putin said that the salvo launch of the missile had been conducted overnight. 

"The tests were conducted successfully, immaculately," Putin said in televised remarks. 

"This is a big event in the life of the country and a considerable step in strengthening Russia's security and improving its defense capability," he added.

A spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry could not provide further details when reached by AFP.

Russia, the United States, France and China have all been experimenting with so-called hypersonic glide vehicles — defined as reaching speeds of at least Mach 5.

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 withing a range of 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) at a speed of Mach 9.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more