Putin’s Missile Humiliation: Invincible Weapon Shot Down in Kyiv Airstrike

Vladimir Putin allegedly ordered the launch of a hypersonic missile last week with the intention of hitting Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital.

Nevertheless, according to experts in the field, the sophisticated weapon system was purportedly intercepted and successfully neutralized while flying over the urban area.

The Defense Express website based in Ukraine recently published the results of its investigation into Russian airstrikes on Kyiv on February 7. According to the report, Russian forces deployed a 3M22 Zircon missile during the attack, aiming to target locations within the Ukrainian capital.

Photographs published on the website provided evidence supporting the claim, indicating that debris found after the missile strike bore markings corresponding to the 3M22 Zircon missile. This missile, often touted as one of Russia’s most advanced hypersonic weapons, is known for its long-range strike capabilities.

Defense Express found that, despite the severe fragmentation making identification difficult, the retrieved fragments matched those of a previously unidentified missile that had been used in a similar attack one month before.

Urge Additional Probe on Zircon Missile

Despite Russia’s claims that the Zircon missile is a hypersonic weapon with a maximum speed of Mach 9, analysts are not so sure, pointing out that there is a dearth of concrete evidence from tests conducted in real time. However, the missile’s stated flying range is between 600 and 1,000 kilometers.

Defense Express pointed out that the limited number of vessels capable of launching the Zircon, such as the Admiral Gorshkov frigate and the K-560 Severodvinsk nuclear submarine, are stationed too far from Ukraine to have launched the missile. This leaves the adapted Bastion-P missile system or the Object-100 in Crimea as potential launch platforms.

The findings of Defense Express underscore the need for further investigation and confirmation by Ukrainian officials. Additionally, the report raises questions about the efficacy of Russia’s hypersonic weapons program and the potential implications of another failed missile strike on their reputation.

As the situation unfolds, observers are keen to see how both Ukrainian and Russian authorities respond to these revelations and what impact they may have on future military strategies and diplomatic relations in the region.