With Russian supply columns being struck by Ukrainian artillery and Ukrainian drones still flying, harassing Russia’s invasion; Moscow has turned to a new weapon to show that it too has unique capabilities.
Russia claimed it used a new hypersonic missile this week to target an underground arms depot in western Ukraine.That it had to resort to this weapon apparently speaks to the fact it is reticent to risk aircraft over parts of Ukraine. However, for Moscow it’s also about testing new weapons.
Moscow used the war in Syria to test new weapons as well. Now Ukraine is a place for Russia to showcase is abilities.
Most commentary has focused on Russia’s failures in Ukraine so far.'s Even though it has seized ground it is relying on pummeling civilians and video shows that it is lowing a lot of vehicles.
The hypersonic missile is all about reversing this image. “If confirmed it would be Russia's first use in this war of the Kinzhal, or Dagger, a ballistic missile launched from the air, most likely by a MiG-31 warplane,” the BBC said.
According to the BBC, “President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly highlighted Russia's investment in hypersonic missiles, which can travel at more than five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5.
The statistics are impressive: according to Russian officials the Kinzhal can hit a target up to 2,000km (1,240 miles) away and can fly faster than 6,000 km/h.”
Last year US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley says China's hypersonic weapons test was almost a "Sputnik moment.” Sputnik was the name of the first Russian spacecraft that beat the Americans into outer space.
Al-Jazeera noted on Sunday night that “Russia prides itself on its advanced weaponry, and President Vladimir Putin said in December that Russia was the global leader in hypersonic missiles, whose speed, maneuverability and altitude maket them difficult to track and intercept.
The Kinzhal missiles are part of an array of weapons unveiled in 2018. Russia first used the hypersonic missile during its military campaign in Syria in 2016.”
The reports clearly show that Russia is pleased with these headlines. It wants to reverse the war effort and the battle for the image of the war is important.
Russia can’t win over any hearts and minds in the West with its brutal war, but it can use new weapons to strike fear into the West.
The US has already noted with concern China’s development of new missiles and platforms. Russia wants to be seen as a near-peer rival to the US.
The slow going in Ukraine has not helped Moscow’s image. In fact, every day of slow progress shows that Russia’s war machine has serious problems. Russia’s invasion has sparked renewed concern in NATO and countries like Germany are now plowing money into defense.
The big question is what else Russia has up its sleeve. It may be running out of some other munitions. It has used cruise missiles and other types of surface-to-surface missiles.
In general, Russia does not seem well suppliit's gold-plated units be mauled in Ukraine this will be doubly embarrassing.
Russia, therefore, chooses the worst of both worlds, sending you weaker units to be destroyed, looking like it is failing and using missiles like the hypersonic missile in a piecemeal fashion.
This is not a way to win a war so far, but Russia may not want .
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