Russian General Staff: Kinzhal hypersonic missiles invincible to Ukraine's air defences

Russia's Kinzhal (translates as "Dagger") hypersonic missiles are invulnerable to Ukraine's air defense systems, Valery Gerasimov, the head of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces said at a briefing before military attaches of foreign states, RIA Novosti reports.

"The Kinzhal aviation missile system has demonstrated high efficiency and invulnerability to air defence systems deployed in Ukraine,” Gerasimov said.

He noted that it was the first time when hypersonic weapons were used in combat conditions during the special military operation.

9-A-7660 Kinzhal is a Russian hypersonic aviation missile system. Kinzhal hypersonic missiles are capable of manoeuvring and flying along unpredictable trajectories. This enables Kinzhal missiles to overcome missile defence systems.

In August 2022, the Russian Defence Ministry announced that Kinzhal hypersonic missiles would be used at MiG-31 universal aircraft. The aircraft was equipped with a fly-by-wire control system and on-board computers. This equipment makes it possible to automatically bring the fighter to the desired missile launch trajectory and launch the missile at a specific moment.

Speaking at the meeting, Gerasimov also said that the fighting has been intense from the very beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine.

"It should be noted that the hostilities unfolded over a vast territory and were fierce from the very beginning,” Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia said, RIA Novosti reports.

According to him, the Russian forces took control over the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) as a result of active offensive actions. Mariupol was taken with minimal losses. In addition, the Russian forces established control over the coast of the Sea of Azov, as well as Kherson and Zaporozhye (Zaporizhzhia) regions.