Russia says it used hypersonic missiles in Ukraine for first time | News

The aeroballistic missiles destroyed a large underground warehouse containing missiles and aviation ammunition, Russia claims.

Russia says it used its newest Kinzhal hypersonic missiles for the first time in Ukraine to destroy a weapons storage site in the country’s west.

Russia’s Interfax news agency said it was the first time Russia had deployed the hypersonic Kinzhal system since it sent its troops into Ukraine on February 24.

“The Kinzhal aviation missile system with hypersonic aeroballistic missiles destroyed a large underground warehouse containing missiles and aviation ammunition in the village of Deliatyn in the Ivano-Frankivsk region,”defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Saturday.

The region of Ivano-Frankivsk shares a 50km (30 miles) long border with NATO member Romania.

The ministry also said Russian forces used the anti-ship missile system Bastion to destroy Ukrainian military facilities near the Black Sea port of Odesa.

Al Jazeera was not able to independently verify Konashenkov’s statements.

The office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

‘Kamikaze drones’

Russia prides itself on its advanced weaponry, and President Vladimir Putin said in December that Russia was the global leader in hypersonic missiles, whose speed, manoeuvrability and altitude make them difficult to track and intercept.

The Kinzhal missiles are part of an array of weapons unveiled in 2018.

Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan said because of the nature of war, new weapons systems are often used.

“In the past few days in Kyiv we’ve seen cruise missiles shot from Russian territory that have been intercepted by Ukrainian air defence systems as well,” Khan said, speaking from the Ukrainian capital.

“We’re also hearing about the fact that Russia is introducing kamikaze drones into the conflict. This is the first time we are hearing confirmation about the use of hypersonic missiles.”

Russia first used the hypersonic missile during its military campaign in Syria in 2016.

Putin has called the Kinzhal (Dagger) missile “an ideal weapon” that flies at 10 times the speed of sound and can overcome air-defence systems.