Factbox-What Do We Know About Kinzhal, Russia’s Hypersonic Missile?

(Reuters) – Russia fired hypersonic Kinzhal missiles at Kyiv on Tuesday, with Ukraine saying it had shot down all six, and Russia claiming one acquired by way of air defences to destroy a U.S.-built Patriot surface-to-air anti-missile defence system.

Reuters was unable to confirm both declare, however listed here are some key details on the Kinzhal, which suggests “dagger” in Russian:

– It’s an air-launched ballistic missile able to carrying nuclear or typical warheads. Ukraine mentioned six of them had been fired on Tuesday.

– It has a reported vary of 1,500 to 2,000 km (930 to 1,240 miles) whereas carrying a payload of 480 kg. It might attain speeds of as much as Mach 10 (12,250 kph).

– The Kinzhal is one in every of six “subsequent technology” weapons unveiled by President Vladimir Putin in a speech in March 2018. He has mentioned these weapons may penetrate each present and any future missile defence programs.

– Putin mentioned in December 2021, two months earlier than the invasion of Ukraine, that Russia was the worldwide chief in hypersonic missiles and, by the point different international locations caught up, was prone to have developed expertise to counteract these new weapons.

“In our superior developments, we’re positively the leaders,” he mentioned.

– Russia despatched fighter jets armed with Kinzhal missiles to Syria for the primary time in 2021, navy analysts say.

– Russia’s defence ministry claimed to have fired a Kinzhal missile at a munitions dump in southwestern Ukraine on March 19, 2022, the primary identified use of the weapon in fight. It has since fired Kinzhal missiles on a number of different events in Ukraine.

– On Could 6, Ukraine mentioned for the primary time that it had shot down a Kinzhal, utilizing a Patriot system. It was not clear whether or not the “Western” programs Kyiv mentioned it used in opposition to Kinzhals on Tuesday had been additionally Patriots.

Supply: Centre for Strategic and Worldwide Research

(Reporting by Reuters; Modifying by Kevin Liffey)

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