Two giants of the world of weapons collide in Ukraine: the Russian hypersonic missile Kinzhal and the American air defense system Patriot. The weapons are extremely valuable to both sides. So valuable that people are publicly caned and accused of high treason.
The past few days may go down in history as turning points in the Russian offensive war. Ukraine recently reported the launch of the Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missile for the first time. The following bad news for the Kremlin followed on Tuesday: six more “miracle weapons” were said to have been shot down from the sky over Kiev. Moscow denies the shootings.
The British secret service speaks of a “clear vulnerability” of the hypersonic missiles. For Vladimir Putin’s strongmen, this is “surprising and embarrassing”.
Why is a Kinschal murder so special?
Two prestigious weapon systems collide in Ukraine. While Russia fires on Ukraine with the Kinzhal (NATO reporting name: “Killjoy”), Zelenskyy’s men and women with the US Patriot air defense system apparently clip the wings of the hypersonic missile.
The Kinschal – dagger in English – was considered “revolutionary” by military experts. Russian ruler Putin described the missile as “absolutely invulnerable to any air or missile defense system” when it was presented in 2018. The autocrat underlined his threat with computer animations of the weapon, which swung around the globe and around interceptor missiles.
According to Russian information, the missile fired from the sky by fighter jets or helicopters can reach ten times the speed of sound at more than 12,000 kilometers per hour. The range is given as 1,500 to 2,000 kilometers. Intercepting the weapon is therefore considered particularly difficult (see image below).
Putin’s announcements made the US so nervous that the US Congress is allocating $3.2 billion in 2021 alone for research and development of hypersonic weapons and related countermeasures.
Is the Patriot system faster than sound?
The air defense system from the American manufacturer Raytheon Technologies consists of several components. In addition to interceptor missiles in various variants, this includes launchers, a radar, a control center and a power system (see image below).
At the same time, the system is designed to remain functional even if a component is destroyed. According to NATO, the range of the radar is more than 150 kilometers. On the website of the German Armed Forces, the Patriot system is described as “faster than sound”.
However, so far Raytheon has not commented on whether it is suitable for use against hypersonic weapons, nor has the US announced whether its recently launched Kinzhal missiles were flying at hypersonic speeds at the time. Ukraine currently has two Patriot systems.
Public punishment for bloggers
Both weapons could be decisive for Ukraine and Russia. The value of the systems is shown by two cases. After the spread of images of the anti-aircraft fire in Kiev, six bloggers were forced by the Ukrainian secret service SBU to publicly confess their remorse.
“I fully admit my guilt, ask the Ukrainian people for forgiveness and promise never to do this again,” said a blogger in the video distributed by the SBU on Wednesday.
The Ukrainian approach is more reminiscent of the practices of autocratic states. According to the motto: deterrence at all costs. The men and women had posted photos on social networks showing the positions of Ukrainian air defenses.
According to media reports, at least one US Patriot systems launcher was damaged at the time. The bloggers face up to eight years in prison for spreading military information.
Russian scientists arrested for “treason”.
Nervousness also seems to be increasing in Moscow. The scientists involved in the hypersonic program, Alexander Shiplyuk, Anatoly Maslow and Valery Swegintsev, were arrested last year for “high treason”. The men are accused of leaking state secrets of the technology.
In 2012, Maslov and Shiplyuk presented the results of an experiment to develop hypersonic missiles at a seminar in Tours, France. In 2016, all three were among the authors of a book chapter describing their work.
Is Putin running out of scientists?
In a letter published Monday, Russian scientists outline a climate of fear. The cases revealed that “any article or report may lead to charges of treason”. Her colleagues are “patriots and decent people”.
“The best students” are already refusing to work on aviation research. “Our best young people are leaving academia. A number of research areas critical to laying the groundwork for future aerospace technology are being shut down simply because staff are afraid to participate in that research,” the letter said.
Not only would the scientists worry about the fate of their colleagues, they would simply not know how to continue their work. And so Putin can run out not only of his “unbeatable” missiles, but also of the scientists.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
