Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 26 attended the launch of a new nuclear-powered submarine named Perm, various Russian news outlets reported.
The submarine is the first of its kind to be equipped with hypersonic Zircon missiles as a standard feature.
Speaking via video link from the Arctic port of Murmansk, Putin claimed that the vessel would “strengthen Russia’s maritime security and safeguard its national interests,” particularly in regions like the Arctic.
Zircon missiles, capable of flying at several times the speed of sound and with a range of nearly 1,000 kilometers, are considered highly difficult to intercept.
"I hereby authorize,” Putin stated as he officially commissioned the vessel, named after the city Perm in the Urals.
The Zircon hypersonic missile, designed as an anti-ship missile, entered the arsenal of the Russian military in early 2023.
The speed of the Zircon missile is approximately 8-9 Mach or about 10,000 kilometers per hour, and its warheads weigh about 300-400 kilograms.
Russia has used these missiles to attack Ukrainian cities, with the first recorded case being in February 2024.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
(Updated: )
