Russia has acknowledged using Kinzhal hypersonic missiles in the war in Ukraine. It is one of the most modern weapons of the Kremlin, which has reported that it was used on March 19 to destroy “a large underground depot of missiles and aerial ammunition” of the Ukrainian army. But what characteristics do these types of projectiles have? Why can they mark a before and after in the Russian offensive in the war in Ukraine? have they been used before? We break down this unique weapon in the world.
High-precision hypersonic missiles were presented by Russia to the international community in March 2018, when the first test with this weapon was also carried out, which, according to Moscow, is capable of bypassing any anti-missile shield for its specific unique characteristics in the world. The reason is that their trajectory has been specified so that, thanks to the curvature of the earth, when they are detected they are already too close to reaching their objective, without being able to be shot down.
The so-called ‘Kinzhal’ hypersonic missiles, which translates as ‘dagger’ in RussianThey can measure up to 8 meters long and have a diameter of one meter. They have a range of more than 2,000 kilometers and 10 times the speed of sound. One of the main characteristics of this weapon is the ability to permanently maneuver during its trajectory, which makes it very difficult to intercept. In addition, they have the capacity to carry nuclear warheads.
The United States has been able to confirm the use by Russia of hypersonic missiles, thus becoming the first known use of such projectiles in combat, as confirmed by CNN. US officials have explained that “it is likely” that these launches were intended to “test the weapons and send a message to the West” about Russian capabilities, according to the sources of the aforementioned media.
Currently, the United States has made the development of hypersonic weapons one of its top priorities in terms of Defense, especially since China and Russia are working to develop their own versions.
Source: Lasexta
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
