Tuesday, March 22, 2022

U.S. President Biden Confirms Russia Used A Hypersonic Missile In Ukraine

An airman checks a Russian Air Force MiG-31 fighter jet prior a flight with Kinzhal hypersonic missile during a drill in this still image taken from video released February 19, 2022. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS 

Business Insider: Biden confirms Russia used hypersonic missile in Ukraine: 'It's almost impossible to stop it' 

* President Joe Biden said Russia used a hypersonic missile over the weekend. 

* "It's almost impossible to stop it," he said: "There's a reason they're using it." 

* Hypersonic weapons can travel at more than five times the speed of sound. 

Russia fired a hypersonic missile at Ukraine over the weekend in part because Kyiv has been "wreaking havoc" on their military, President Joe Biden said Monday. 

 On Saturday, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced it had for the first time used a Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missile, a munition that can travel at speeds faster than Mach 5, striking a Ukrainian weapons depot. 

On Monday, a US official said the Pentagon had not been able to confirm that the launch took place, Politico reported. But speaking at a conference with business leaders later in the day, Biden did just that, arguing that Russia had done so because of the losses it faced at the hands of Ukrainian forces. 

 Read more .... 

 

U.S. President Biden Confirms Russia Used A Hypersonic Missile In Ukraine  

After Pentagon demurs, Biden confirms Russia fired hypersonic missile: Ukraine Day 26 -- ABC News  

Biden Calls Russia’s Hypersonic Missiles ‘Consequential’, Says They’re ‘Almost Impossible to Stop’ -- Sputnik  

Biden says Russian forces fired hypersonic missile in Ukraine -- Axios  

What to know about hypersonic missiles fired by Russia at Ukraine -- CNN

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is the expenditure of the hypersonic missile cost effective?

If it is not It would still be useful to use it to have an actual test in combat. Ukrainian air defenses are degraded, but they still exist or so we are told.

I think these missiles can be shot down.

Anonymous said...

That specific missile has three configurations which all need to be tested against "real" targets. I suspect the two missile cruisers that Russia has moved up near Mariupol are carrying the vertical launch tube variant.