Putin to arm Russian navy with deadly 7,000mph hypersonic Zircon missiles in chilling warning to the West
VLADIMIR Putin has announced the Russian navy will be armed with deadly 7,000mph hypersonic Zircon missiles in a chilling warning to the West.
The Russian tyrant said his warships would be equipped with the state-of-the-art rockets "in months".
"The Admiral Gorshkov frigate will be the first to go on combat duty with these formidable weapons on board," Putin said during a military parade on Sunday celebrating Russia's navy.
"The key thing here is the capability of the Russian navy… It is able to respond with lightning speed to all who decide to infringe on our sovereignty and freedom."
Putin didn't reference Ukraine in his speech but said he had no problem with the devastating missiles being used to defend Moscow's interests around the world.
Russia tested its Zircon rocket in May, firing the "unstoppable" weapon from the Barents Sea. The missile hit a target at a range of 625 miles in the White Sea.
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The warhead has been hailed by Moscow’s state-controlled TV as Putin’s weapon of choice to wipe out American cities in the event of an atomic conflict.
It's thought the Zircon missile can hit targets 620 miles away and travel at 7,000mph, although there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles.
At that speed, it could reach London within five minutes.
It will initially be deployed from Russian frigates, and later from submarines.
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It comes as Russian Navy Day celebrations were cancelled in the Crimean port of Sevastopol following reports of a "homemade drone attack" on the country's Black Sea Fleet HQ, which injured six people, according to pro-Russian mayor Mikhail Razvozhaev.
He said on Telegram: "An unidentified object flew into the courtyard of the fleet's headquarters.
"According to preliminary information, it is a drone."
He said that all celebrations had been cancelled "for security reasons".
Kyiv has denied any responsibility and instead claimed Moscow staged the attack.
"The liberation of our Crimea from the occupiers will take place differently and much more effectively,” said Sergey Bratchuk, the spokesman for the Odessa military administration
Putin made his speech standing aboard a Raptor-class patrol vessel on the Neva River in St Petersburg.
The deranged tyrant also signed a 55-page naval doctrine which sets out Russia's broad strategic aims at sea and its ambitions as a "great maritime power".
The doctrine claimed the main threat to Russia was "the strategic police of the USA to dominate the world's oceans" and the movement of the NATO alliance closer to Russian borders.
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Putin told his forces they may use the missiles should diplomatic and economic tools be exhausted, suggesting Moscow might be prepared to deploy the new Zircon missiles to defend its maritime borders.
Navy Day is an annual Russian holiday during which its fleets stage naval parades and honour its sailors.
