Russia tests hyper-sonic missile, Vladimir Putin calls it 'ideal' weapon

Russia on Sunday stated that it has triumphantly test-launched a hypersonic missile which President Vladimir Putin branded as "an ideal weapon."

"A MiG-31 fighter crew of the Russian Aerospace Forces made a training launch of a hypersonic missile of the Kinzhal high-precision air missile system in the predetermined area," TASS reported, citing the Russian Defense Ministry as saying.

The MiG-31 departed from an airfield in the Southern Military District in Russia's southwest within the framework of a testing air alert.

"The launch went according to plan, the hypersonic missile hit its target," the ministry added.

The country's defence ministry released video footage showing the missile detaching from a fighter jet and leaving a fiery trail behind it.

Putin had said the Kinzhal missile can fly at 10 times the speed of sound and can overcome air defence systems. It has a range of 2,000 km, according to the reports.

In an address to the nation on March 1, Putin had announced a new range of nuclear weapons that he said could hit almost any point in the world without being intercepted.
 

  

 

The Kinzhal missile was one of the unveiled weapons then.

The Kinzhal system, which means dagger in Russian, is intended for destruction of surface and waterborne targets, the report said.