Russia shows off military might during Zircon hypersonic cruise missile test launch at sea
ABCRussia has successfully test-fired a hypersonic Zircon cruise missile over a distance of about 1,000 kilometres, the defence ministry says. Key points: Russia's defence ministry says the missile was fired from the Barents Sea and hit a target in the White Sea Hypersonic weapons can travel at nine times the speed of sound The launch was the latest in a series of tests of Zircon, which is set to enter service later this year The missile was fired from the Barents Sea north of Russia and Scandinavia and hit a target in the White Sea off Russia's north-west coast, it said. Hypersonic weapons can travel at nine times the speed of sound and Russia has conducted previous test launches of the Zircon from warships and submarines in the past year. Mr Putin, who has sternly warned Western allies against interfering in Ukraine, has warned in the past that Russian warships armed with Zircon would give Russia the capability to strike "decision-making centres" within minutes if deployed in neutral waters.