Russia carried out a new attack on Ukraine using cruise missiles Kh-22/Kh-32 and hypersonic anti-ship missiles 3M22 Zircon.
The information was published on January 24 through the official channel of the Air Force of the Armed Forces Ukrainian on Telegram.
According to the statement, Russian forces launched a total of 12 Kh-22/Kh-32 cruise missiles from the airspace of the Bryansk region on Russian territory. At the same time, two 3M22 Zircon missiles were fired from temporarily occupied Crimea. The platform used for launching the Zircon missiles has not been specified, as their combat use remains rare.
Ukrainian air defense managed to intercept nine of 12 Kh-22/Kh-32 missiles. As for the Zircon missiles, they could not be shot down, according to the Air Force.
The Kh-22 and Kh-32 are cruise missiles originally developed between the 1960s and 1980s, designed for both anti-ship missions and strikes against land targets. Despite their high explosive payload, these missiles are considered inaccurate and exist in limited quantities, according to open source assessments.
The 3M22 Zircon missile, meanwhile, represents a distinct generation of weaponry. Although the program is shrouded in secrecy, its use against Ukraine allowed experts to analyze recovered components. These analyzes indicate that the Zircon is a further development of the Soviet 3M55 Onyx supersonic anti-ship missile, created in the late 1970s.
According to technical evaluations, the Zircon’s significant speed gain over the Onyx may have been achieved through a significant reduction in weight, including the warhead, as well as the use of more powerful fuel and a new ramjet engine optimized for hypersonic regimes.
The Ukrainian Air Force recalled that on March 25, 2024, during a morning attack on Kyiv, air defense managed to intercept two Zircon missiles. Monitoring channels reported that the targets traveled approximately 580 kilometers to the capital in approximately three minutes, which would indicate estimated speeds of approximately 11,600 km/h, above Mach 9. These parameters are consistent with the declared characteristics of the Zircon and exclude the use of other systems such as the Iskander or Kinzhal.
In a related context, on January 22, the Russian Defense Ministry released a video apparently showing a strategic bomber Tu-22M3 carrying a missile Kh-22/Kh-32 during a flight over the Baltic Sea. The aircraft were escorted by Su-35S and Su-30SM fighters and, according to Moscow, accompanied on certain segments by fighters from other countries. The Russian government said all flights were carried out in accordance with international rules for the use of airspace.
Sources and images: Telegram @zvezdanews | Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – Telegram @kpszsu. This content was created with the help of AI and proofread by the editorial team.
@militaryanalyseOn January 22, the Ministry of Defense of Russia released a video showing a strategic Tu-22M3 bomber carrying a Kh-22/Kh-32 missile during a flight over the Baltic Sea. Sources and images: Telegram @zvezdanews
