Russia claims it tested hypersonic Zircon cruise missile

Russia has successfully tested a hypersonic Zircon cruise missile, the country’s Ministry of Defense said Saturday. 

The missile has previously been touted as a major breakthrough in weapons development, with the Saturday launch clearing a distance of 625 miles, according to reports.

Video shows the missile fired from the Barents Sea and striking a target in the White Sea with great precision. 

“Today, the lead frigate of Project 22350 Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov fired a Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile at a sea target position in the White Sea from the Barents Sea,” the defense ministry announced, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.

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The zircon missile can travel nine times the speed of sound, according to intelligence on the new weapon. Russia recently completed test launches of the Sarmat – an intercontinental missile that can carry nuclear warheads, according to reports.

While countries including the U.S., China, Israel, and others also boast extensive nuclear programs with evolving weaponry, Russia currently maintains the world’s largest stockpile of nuclear warheads by sheer volume.

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Despite the impressive launches and tests of cutting edge ballistics, the Russian military is struggling to provide quality weaponry to its troops on the front lines in certain regions of Ukraine.

Old weaponry may prove dangerous for Russian troops as Ukrainian forces seek to exploit decades-old weaknesses.

Russia has deployed Soviet-era T-62 tanks to support the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The machinery, far outdated, has deep vulnerabilities to exploit, according to British intelligence.

The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense reported Friday that Russia has recently begun deploying the 50-year-old tanks from deep storage.