As of: March 29, 2024, 8:03 a.m
By: Simon Schröder
Comments
Press
Split
Putin's highly praised Zircon hypersonic missile shows weaknesses in the Ukraine war. Ukraine analyzes the weapon and reveals vulnerabilities. How effective is the miracle weapon really?
Moscow – The Zirkon hypersonic missile developed by Russia is also used in the Ukraine war. However, this “miracle weapon” much praised by Russia is said to be significantly worse than Vladimir Putin claims. After one of these hypersonic missiles was launched over Kiev, the Ukrainian military had the opportunity to analyze the new weapon.
Putin's hypersonic missile used against Ukraine for the first time this year
An examination of the components and the flight curve now give reason for doubt. After another of these state-of-the-art missiles was fired just last Monday (March 25), the suspicions are confirmed, as the
Kyiv Post
reports. Due to its speed - the missile is said to have a speed of at least Mach 8 - the missile should actually be able to penetrate Ukrainian air defenses. However, the Americans' Patriot system was able to shoot down Putin's "miracle weapon".
According to a report by the British Ministry of Defense, Russia first used the Zirkon missile against Ukraine on February 7, 2024. “According to analyzes by the Kiev Research Institute of Forensic Investigations, Russia used its hypersonic Zircon missile for the first time in an attack on Ukraine on February 7. "A video of the wreckage allegedly shows fragments of the engine and steering with special markings," according to a report by the British institution.
Vladimir Putin, Russian President, in need of explanation. How effective is the new hypersonic weapon “SS-N-33 Zirkon” really? © Mikhail Tereshchenko/dpa
Impressive key data of the Zirkon – What can Putin’s weapon really do?
On paper, the Zircon is impressive. With a range of up to 1000 kilometers, the rocket can maneuver to its target using its solid rocket engine and another engine for additional range. The
Tagesspiegel
makes a concise comparison. The German Taurus cruise missile only has a range of 500 kilometers. The British equivalent, the Storm Shadow missile, only has a range of 560 kilometers. The Zirkon would therefore be significantly more powerful than the two Western weapons due to its radius of action alone. If it works as stated.
In addition, the rocket will operate at an altitude of up to 40 kilometers and then aim at the target at 8 times the speed of sound. Another big advantage is maneuverability. Due to these factors, the missile should actually be armed against the Patriot system. The Ukrainians' past successes, however, show the opposite.
(SiSchr)