Ukraine | What's Kinzhal missile, Russia's newest weapon used in war? Faster than sound, nuclear-capable

In a significant escalation of the war in Ukraine, Russia claimed to have used its newest Kinzhal missiles for the first time on March 18.

The name means 'dagger' in Russian. It's an air-launched hypersonic missile, as per reports. It can reportedly carry 480 kg nuclear payload.

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The Kinzhal missile can reportedly accelerate up to 4,900 km/h, to reach an estimated top speed 12,350 km/h, ten times the speed of sound. Its estimated range is 1,500-2,000 km.

It was reportedly unveiled by President Vladimir Putin in 2018.

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Igor Konashenkov, spokesperson of the Russian defence ministry said, "On 18 March, the Kinzhal aviation rocket system with hypersonic ballistic missiles destroyed a big underground missile arsenal with aerial ammunition of the Ukrainian forces in the settlement of Deliatyn in the Ivano-Frankivsk region.

The Bastion coastal missile system destroyed the electronic intelligence centres of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the settlements of Velykyi Dalnyk and Velykodolynske in the Odesa region."

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