Unidentified missile used by Russia in attack on Ukraine's Sumy turned out to be Zircon – Defense Express
Illustrative photo: The unidentified missile Russia used to attack Sumy turned out to be a Zircon
The missile that Russia used to strike Sumy on August 21 turned out to be the hypersonic Zircon 3M22. However, the attack once again proved ineffective, Defense Express reported.
As the Ukrainian military resource writes, the analysis of the debris confirmed that it was indeed a Zircon.
It was found that this was already the 14th launch of this hypersonic missile, which the Kremlin had previously called a "superweapon without analogues."
However, the latest use once again demonstrated the low accuracy and weak warhead of the missile.
"This is the same missile that in the morning report of the Air Force of Ukraine, that is, before the identification was completed, was marked as 'of an unidentified type.' The result of this launch was characterized by the phrase 'had no success.' In the end, Zircon missiles traditionally show very low accuracy combined with a small warhead, which exposed the biggest fraud of the Russian Ministry of Defense," Defense Express noted.
According to analysts, the Zircon launch was carried out from occupied Crimea, most likely from the underground complex Object-100 near the village of Rezervne. It is from there that Russia has carried out all previous launches of this type of missile.
What is known about the hypersonic Zircon
The 3M22 Zircon is a Russian hypersonic cruise missile that the Kremlin presents as a "superweapon without analogues." It was developed by the design bureau NPO Mashinostroyeniya and was officially unveiled in 2019.
Main known characteristics:
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Engine type: hypersonic scramjet (supersonic combustion ramjet).
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Speed: up to 5.5 Mach (around 6,700 km/h) in cruise phase; peak speed up to 7.5 Mach during descent; slows to about 4.5 Mach near the ground.
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Range: estimated between 500 and 1,000 km.
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Warhead: relatively small, about 300–400 kg, which significantly limits strike effectiveness.
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Carriers: warships, submarines, as well as land-based coastal defense launchers.
Zircon attacks on Ukraine
The first recorded launches of Zircon missiles against Ukraine took place in the spring of 2024, when Ukrainian air defense managed to shoot down two such missiles over Kyiv.
On February 7, 2024, during a missile attack on the capital, Russia may also have used the 3M22 Zircon hypersonic anti-ship missile.
Read more about the Zircon missile in the RBC-Ukraine article.
