What is Kinzhal Aviation Missile? Russia Uses Hypersonic Missiles in Ukraine to Destroy Weapon Storage Facility

Russia, for the first time in this war, used hypersonic missiles in Ukraine, destroying a major underground weapons storage facility in the Ivano-Frankivsk region.

New Kinzhal aviation missiles, which are also termed hypersonic aeroballistic missiles, were used by Russia in this attack.

Hypersonic missile
Representative image Wikimedia commons

A major underground facility containing missiles and aviation ammunition was destroyed in the attack.

Ukrainian Underground Warehouse Destroyed

Russian defense ministry announced on Saturday, "The Kinzhal aviation missile system with hypersonic aeroballistic missiles destroyed a large underground warehouse containing missiles and aviation ammunition in the village of Deliatyn in the Ivano-Frankivsk region."

Notably, the attack site is close to the NATO border as Ivano-Frankivsk shares 30 miles long border with Romania.

Russian Ministry of Defence posted a video of the attack, claiming the Ukrainian forces depot was hit by a missile.

"Destruction of a weapons depot of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by high-precision missile weapons strike. We can see the exact hit of an underground hangar with weapons and ammunition," said the ministry in a tweet on Saturday.

Russia unveiled Kinzhal missiles in 2018. Russia has started using its modern weaponry use as the war intensifies and Kyiv still remains out of Kremlin control.

russia-successfully-launches-new-kinzhal-hypersonic-missile

Recently, Russia hit many Ukrainian targets with cruise missiles which were intercepted by Kyiv. However, it remains critical to intercept hypersonic missiles.

Unstoppable Missile

President Vladimir Putin had earlier termed the missiles as an ideal weapon that is believed to fly 10 times higher than the speed of sound and can escape air-defense systems.

The missile is also termed as unstoppable as it is said to be undetectable by western air defense systems.

Nuclear-Capable

The missile is capable of carrying nuclear warheads and according to Putin almost any point in the world and evade an American-built missile shield.

The missile has a range of nearly 2,000 km and its speed is about 12,350 km/hr.

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