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Moment Russia unleashes ‘unstoppable’ hypersonic weapon as Putin launches more missiles from Crimea

Russia’s defence ministry said more missiles were launched from Crimea and the Caspian Sea

Holly Bancroft
Sunday 20 March 2022 11:56 GMT
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Moment Russian hypersonic missile ‘destroys Ukrainian weapons warehouse’

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The moment Russian military says it carried out a hypersonic missile strike on Ukrainian military facilities has been captured in new footage.

The Russian defence ministry claimed to have used high-precision missiles to hit a weapons depot belonging to the Ukrainian army in Deliatyn, a village in south-western Ukraine only 100km from the border with Romania.

Moscow said the strike on Saturday was Russia’s first use of the Kinzhal, or Dagger, ballistic missile in their war on Ukraine. The missile was likely launched from the air from an MiG-31 warplane.

On Sunday, Russian defence ministry spokesperson said that the military had carried out a number of further strikes on Ukrainian targets.

Major General Igor Konashenkov said that a Kinzhal hypersonic missile hit a Ukrainian fuel depot in Kostiantynivka, near the Black Sea port of Mykolaiv.

The strike would mark the second day in a row that Russia had used the weapon, which is capable of travelling at 10 times the speed of sound.

Major General Igor Konashenkov announced the use of further hypersonic missiles
Major General Igor Konashenkov announced the use of further hypersonic missiles (AFP via Getty Images)

Mr Konashenkov said that Kalibr cruise missiles had been launched by Russian warships stationed in the Caspain Sea on a fuel depot in Kostiantynivka. Further missiles were also launched from the Black Sea.

“Kalibr cruise missiles were launched from the waters of the Black Sea against the Nizhyn plant that repairs Ukrainian armoured vehicles damaged in fighting,” Mr Konashenkov said.

Ukrainian soldiers walk next to the military school hit by Russian rockets the day before, in Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine.
Ukrainian soldiers walk next to the military school hit by Russian rockets the day before, in Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine. (AFP via Getty Images)

The Russian defence ministry also said that their military had launched hypersonic missiles from Crimean airspace.

The office of Ukrainian president Zelensky added on Sunday that there could be a risk of an attack on western Ukraine being launched from inside Belarus.

Officials said that the attack could be launched on Ukraine’s Volyn region, the country’s most northwestern province, but they did not clarify whether they thought it would be launched by Russian or Belarusian troops.

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