Russia has launched five 3M22 Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles against Kyiv within the first three months of the year, the city's military administration reported on April 1.
The statement came a week after claims that Russian troops had used Zircon ballistic missiles in a March 25 attack on Kyiv, injuring at least two people. The researchers began to examine the debris to determine what type of missile was launched.
Ukrainian forces downed more than 180 missiles and drones targeted at Ukraine's capital in 2024, according to authorities. Apart from Zircon missiles, these include one Kalibr cruise missile, three Kh-69 cruise missiles, six Iskander-M ballistic missiles, 11 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles, 48 Shahed-type drones, and 113 Kh-101 missiles.
Russia reportedly attacked Ukraine with a 3M22 Zircon hypersonic cruise missile for the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion on Feb. 7, killing at least five people and injuring over.
Illia Yevlash, an Air Force spokesperson, said that Ukraine could down Zircon missiles by using air defense systems like SAMP/T or Patriot. Kyiv urged Western allies to send more such weapons to defend the entire territory of the country.
Moscow earlier said the Zircon hypersonic missile entered the arsenal of the Russian military in early 2023, claiming that it has a range of 600–1,500 kilometers, can travel at nine times the speed of sound, and has a warhead weighing about 300-400 kilograms.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine's Armed Forces shot down more than 2,000 cruise and ballistic Russian missiles, the Defense Ministry reported.
Chris York
