Russia successfully tests a hypersonic missile on Putin's birthday
A senior Russian military commander told President Vladimir Putin on his 68th birthday today, Wednesday, that the country has tested its Zirkon missile, a supersonic cruise missile, and that it successfully hit a target in the Barents Sea.
The Russian Army Chief of General Staff Valery Garasimov added, during a video call with Putin, that the test strike was carried out on Tuesday from the Admiral Gorshkov ship, which was in the White Sea in northern Russia.
Putin, who has pledged to bolster Russia's military presence in the Arctic, spoke positively of hypersonic missiles and a new generation of Russian weapons.
He praised the new launch experience.
"This is a great event not only in the life of the armed forces, but also for the whole of Russia, for the whole country," he told Garasimov.
The Zircon missile test came amid an arms control tension between Russia and the United States.
The New START agreement, the last major agreement on nuclear weapons between the two countries, is due to expire in February.
Garasimov said the missile hit a target 450 km away within four and a half minutes of reaching hypersonic speeds of more than Mach 8.
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