Russia will not fire ‘Zircon’ missile in naval exercise off SA coast
22 February 2023 - 15:04
bySiyabonga Sishi
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Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov is docked en route to scheduled naval exercises with the South African and Chinese navies in Durban, in this February 17 2023 file photo. Picture: ROGAN WARD/REUTERS
Russia will not fire its new generation “Zircon” hypersonic missile during a joint naval exercise it is participating in alongside SA and China, a senior Russian naval officer said on Wednesday.
The 10-day exercise, which is taking place off SA’s east coast and coincides with the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has raised alarm among Western governments.
Russia’s TASS news agency reported earlier in February that a frigate participating in the drills would perform a training launch of the Zircon missile system during the exercise.
However, Capt Oleg Gladkiy, who is heading the Russian contingent, said during a media briefing that no test launch would take place.
“The hypersonic weapon will not be used in the context of these exercises,” Gladkiy said. “There is no hidden meaning in the exercises that we are performing today.”
President Vladimir Putin has called the Zircon, which can travel at more than five times the speed of sound, “unstoppable”.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Russia will not fire ‘Zircon’ missile in naval exercise off SA coast
Russia will not fire its new generation “Zircon” hypersonic missile during a joint naval exercise it is participating in alongside SA and China, a senior Russian naval officer said on Wednesday.
The 10-day exercise, which is taking place off SA’s east coast and coincides with the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has raised alarm among Western governments.
Russia’s TASS news agency reported earlier in February that a frigate participating in the drills would perform a training launch of the Zircon missile system during the exercise.
However, Capt Oleg Gladkiy, who is heading the Russian contingent, said during a media briefing that no test launch would take place.
“The hypersonic weapon will not be used in the context of these exercises,” Gladkiy said. “There is no hidden meaning in the exercises that we are performing today.”
President Vladimir Putin has called the Zircon, which can travel at more than five times the speed of sound, “unstoppable”.
Reuters
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