Russia successfully tests new missile capable of destroying Western satellites - plus second weapon 'to be used on US cities in event of nuclear war'
Russia has successfully tested a new missile capable of destroying Western satellites, followed by another weapon 'to be used on US cities in the event of a nuclear war'.
The US warned that the first missile tested will be capable of destroying Western satellites in low earth orbit.
Meanwhile, Russia today claimed a successful test launch of its new-age 6,000 mph hypersonic Zircon missile.
The devastating weapon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Russian President Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out American cities in the event of nuclear war.
He has called the Mach 8 Zircon - or Tsirkon - 'truly unparalleled … in the world'.
Russia has said it successfully tested a new missile that the US has warned could destroy Western low-earth orbit satellites. Pictured: A photo shared by Russia's Ministry of Defence of the test launch
Pictured: A Russian frigate launches a new-age 6,000 mph hypersonic Zircon missile, said to be Putin's weapon of choice in the event of a nuclear war against the US
Of the first test, new video has been released of the potential satellite destroyer by the Russian Defence Ministry showing the first missile which 'is designed to protect against air and space attacks', according to state media.
The launch was conducted at the Sary-Shagan testing range in Kazakhstan.
'The new missile … has reliably confirmed its characteristics in a series of tests,' claimed Andrey Dyomin, commander of the 1st air and missile defence army of Russian aerospace forces.
However, no detail was given about the missile's precise performance in the test, or the target, and the weapon remains shrouded in considerable secrecy.
Commander of the United States Space Command John Raymond said in April that such Russian extraterrestrial interceptor missiles pose a challenge to U.S. interests in near space.
Raymond claimed that this Russian system is capable of destroying satellites in low Earth orbit.
'The threats to US space systems and allies are real, serious and increasing,' he warned.
Russia is known to be developing a mobile long-range extraterrestrial interceptor missile named 14Ts033 Nudol (pictured being tested)
The two-stage 14Ts033 may be used on the new A-235 missile defence system, which is being developed to protect Moscow's airspace
Pictured: The missile is lowered into a missile silo in preparation for the launch test
Russia is known to be developing a mobile long-range extraterrestrial interceptor missile named 14Ts033 Nudol.
The two-stage 14Ts033 may be used on the new A-235 missile defence system, which is being developed to protect Moscow's airspace.
The A-234 can reach Mach 12, with a 620 mile range, say experts.
The missile is intended to destroy the warheads of intercontinental ballistic missiles and spacecraft in low Earth orbits.
Speaking about the Nudol system, Gen. Raymond said: 'The United States is ready and committed to deterring aggression and defending the nation, our allies, and US interests from hostile acts in space.'
Meanwhile, the Zircon missile was launched from the White Sea and 'successfully' hit a target in the Barents Sea after a 279 miles flight, said the Russian defence ministry.
Footage shows how the Zircon was fired from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate in darkness.
The Zircon missile was launched from the White Sea and 'successfully' hit a target in the Barents Sea after a 279 miles flight, said the Russian defence ministry
A previous test launch of the missile was staged in early October and seen as a 68th birthday present for Putin.
A radiation leak during a military accident which killed two and wounded six last year was seen as involving a testing on the missile .
Radiation levels temporarily soared 20 times above the normal level in Severodvinsk, a city lying some 18 miles from the weapons testing site at Nyonoksa , according to Greenpeace citing the Russian Emergencies Ministry.
Putin was today visiting a plant in closed town Sarov where the victims were from.
The hypersonic cruise missile is designed to be used against ships or land-based targets, and to enter production in 2021, commencing service the following year.
Pictured: The The Admiral Gorshkov frigate, from which the Zircon test missile was launched
Last year, Dmitry Kiselyov presenter of Russia's main weekly TV news show Vesti Nedeli, showed on screen a map of the US identifying targets he claimed Moscow would want to hit in a nuclear war
Dmitry Kiselyov, presenter of Russia's main weekly TV news show Vesti Nedeli, last year showed on screen a map of the US identifying targets he claimed Moscow would want to hit in a nuclear war.
Kiselyov, seen as a top Putin propagandist, said the Zircon missile could hit the targets in less than five minutes.
Putin warned this year that the West is seeking to steal secrets relating to Zircon and other state-of-the-art Russian weapons such as the Avangard.