Russia Says It Used Hypersonic 'Kinzhal' Missiles to Attack

[Donkees]

Missiles said to hit weapons storage site in western Ukraine
Ukraine hasn’t confirmed claimed strike by advanced system

March 19, 2022

Russia said it fired hypersonic missiles from its “Kinzhal” system for the first time in the more than three-week invasion of Ukraine, to destroy an underground weapons storage site in the west of the country.

The Ministry of Defense said the military used Kinzhal (Dagger) missiles on Friday to target the site storing missiles and aviation ammunition in the village of Delyatyn, outside the city of Ivano-Frankivsk, according to an emailed statement.

Ukraine didn’t report any Russian attack on the military facility overnight and did not immediately comment on Russia’s claims. There is also no mention of explosions on social media, though hitting a “big underground” ammunition storage would be loud. Bloomberg News cannot independently verify Russia’s reports.

The Kinzhal, which can carry conventional or nuclear warheads, flies 10 times faster than the speed of sound, or more than 2 miles per second, President Vladimir Putin said when he announced the system in an annual state-of-the-nation address in 2018.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-19/russia-says-it-used-hypersonic-kinzhal-missiles-for-first-time

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. It would be nice to get our hands on one of these, should one malfunction. NT

[Lovie777]

2. No confirmation? . .. ....

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[C_U_L8R]

3. How many do they have?

They must be very expensive.

Klitschko knows how to rope-a-dope and Putin very well could punch himself out.

[uponit7771]

4. Weren't two of those missiles shot down? I mean, is there ANYTHING Russia can do right?!

[Igel]

7. No.

The military airplane maintenance center was just outside Lviv. Something like 6 cruise missles (Kalibr, I'd assume, given that they started around the Black Sea, but munitions =/= my thing); of the 6, 2 were downed and 4 hit their targets.

This is a arms depot in a village outside of Ivanko-Frankivs'k.

[dalton99a]

5. Most likely bullshit

[WhiskeyGrinder]

6. The focus on "hypersonic" is not what makes this missile remarkable; many ballistic missiles reach

hypersonic speeds in their terminal phase.

[TheBlackAdder]

8. So it flies hypersonic at low altitudes?

[WarGamer]

13. yes.

[EX500rider]

9. I saw the vid, no secondary explosions which is unlikely in a ammo depot nt

[Donkees]

10. Ukrainian military officials say the use of the Kinzhal missiles ...

Ukrainian military officials say the use of the Kinzhal missiles further highlights how Russia has failed to meet strategic battlefield goals with conventional ground forces and is intensifying both indiscriminate bombing of civilian infrastructure and the use of high-precision strikes to try to terrorize Ukraine and break its will to resist.

https://www.voanews.com/a/russia-claims-hypersonic-missile-use-in-attack-on-ukraine/6492246.html

[Donkees]

11. ⚡️ Russia uses newest Kinzhal hypersonic missiles to bombard Ukraine.

The Kyiv Independent
@KyivIndependent
·
10m
⚡️ Russia uses newest Kinzhal hypersonic missiles to bombard Ukraine.

Russian Defense Ministry said Russia’s newest air-to-ground missile was used to destroy an arms depot in western Ivano Frankivsk Oblast. This is the first time this type of missile was used in Ukraine.

[Donkees]

12. 'unnamed U.S. officials told CNN that Russia had indeed launched hypersonic missiles against Ukraine

The Kyiv Independent
@KyivIndependent
·
1h
Ukraine hasn't been able to confirm the type of the missile.

But unnamed U.S. officials told CNN that Russia had indeed launched hypersonic missiles against Ukraine, the first known use of such missiles in combat.

---


US officials confirmed to CNN that Russia launched hypersonic missiles against Ukraine last week, the first known use of such missiles in combat. The US was able to track the launches in real time, the sources said.

The launches were likely intended to test the weapons and send a message to the West about Russian capabilities, multiple sources told CNN.

Russia's Ministry of Defence said Saturday that it had launched hypersonic Kinzhal missiles against a military ammunitions warehouse in western Ukraine on Friday, destroying the structure in the Ukrainian village of Delyatin. CNN is unable to independently verify this claim.

Traveling at Mach 5 speed or faster, hypersonic weapons are difficult to detect, posing a challenge to missile defense systems. Hypersonic missiles can travel at a far lower trajectory than high-arcing ballistic missiles, which can be easily detectable. Hypersonics can also maneuver and evade missile defense systems.

The Pentagon has made developing hypersonic weapons one of its top priorities, particularly as China and Russia are working to develop their own versions.

CNN's Oren Liebermann contributed to this report.