Defense Express: Missile debris in Kyiv resembles Russia’s secret Zircon “hypersonic”
Putin showcased Zircon missile in 2019 as Russia's latest innovation, but experts doubt its stated capabilities. The post Defense Express: Missile debris in Kyiv resembles Russia’s secret Zircon “hypersonic” appeared first on Euromaidan Press.
According to the Ukrainian military publication Defense Express, debris analyzed after Russia’s massive missile attack on Kyiv bears markings resembling the 3M22 Zircon hypersonic missile.
The fragments include the characters “3M22”, which aligns with the Zircon’s reported designation. While not conclusively confirming the missile’s use, experts note the remnants match known details of the notoriously secret Zircon program.
Defense Express suggests that the missile might have been intercepted and adds that the fragments resemble those of another unidentified rocket used by the Russians in early 2024 to attack Ukraine. At that time, experts also speculated that it could have been a Zircon missile.
Yuriy Ignat, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force, stated that they could only confirm something definitively once the debris was verified.
In Russia, Zircon is referred to as a “hypersonic” missile. However, experts say it could be solid-fueled like the Kinzhal and accelerate to significant speeds. Its launch range is reportedly within 600 km, although reports occasionally suggest up to 1000 km.
On 7 February, Russia launched a massive missile attack on cities across Ukraine, resulting in 5 deaths and over 40 injuries. Ukraine claims its forces destroyed 29 incoming missiles and 15 kamikaze drones.
Read more:
- Russia’s morning missile attack on Kyiv kills four, injures 40
- 2 out of 5 missiles Russia launched at Kharkiv are from North Korea
- Russian missile assault kills one, injures at least 16 civilians, including a pregnant woman
You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.
We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society.
A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support.
The post Defense Express: Missile debris in Kyiv resembles Russia’s secret Zircon “hypersonic” appeared first on Euromaidan Press.
