Russian President Putin stated that his troops had already used experimental 3M22 Zircon missiles "in battle".
In a speech before the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, he said that this "sea-based hypersonic complex" is already in service. In fact, he admitted that the Russian Federation hit Ukraine with these missiles.
Earlier, the Ukrainian expertise reported that two 3M22s attacked the Kyiv region on February 7 during a massive missile attack. The director of the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Examinations Oleksandr Ruvin informed that one 3M22 fell in the Dniprovsky district, creating a ravine, and the second fell in a field in the town of Vyshneve, near Kyiv. They were shot down by air defense, so they did not reach their targets.
The analysis of the wreckage showed that the 3M22 does not meet the characteristics declared by the Russians. The missile does not fly at a speed of Mach 8-9 (about 10 000 kmph). It reaches 2 500 kmph in the final section of the flight. The accuracy of the rocket is questionable, and the declared destructive power with almost 400 kg of charge is less.
According to Ruvin, "Zircon" was developed primarily as a weapon against aircraft carriers, which are very difficult to sink. But this rocket is unlikely to cope with its intended purpose.
- On February 7, 2024, Russian troops launched a massive attack on Ukraine from several waves, using 64 means of air attack: attack drones, cruise, ballistic and anti-aircraft guided missiles. Air defense then shot down 29 missiles and 15 drones.
- In the capital, fragments of downed rockets fell in the Holosiivsky and Dniprovsky districts. An 18-story building caught fire in Teremky. Five people died there, and another 40 were injured. In the Dniprovsky district, a fragment of a rocket fell near the “Chernihivska” metro station, damaging a high-voltage line and a heat supply main. Three people were injured.
- In Mykolaiv, a person died from the attack, 20 houses were damaged.