Russia test-fires hypersonic missile in birthday blast for Putin

In this Russian Defence Ministry Press Service photo, a Russian Zircon hypersonic cruise missile is launched from the Admiral Groshkov frigate, in the White Sea. Photo / AP

Russia's armed forces marked birthday of President Vladimir Putin's 68th birthday with the successful test launch of a hypersonic missile.

The Tsikron missile, which can travel at 8 times the speed of sound, was launched from a vessel in the White Sea in Russia's north-west, said the chief of the General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov. It successfully hit its target in the Barents Sea, he added.

The missile covered a distance of 450km in four and half-minutes after reaching a hypersonic speed of more than Mach 8.

Putin takes pride in hypersonic weapons, contrasting Russia's status as world-leader in their development with the Cold War when Moscow played catch-up to the US in terms of military technology.

Putin praised the test in remarks broadcast on television: "This is a major event not only in the life of the armed forces but also for all of Russia, for the whole country."

The President has previously argued that Russia had to develop new weapons in response to the development of the US missile defence system that threatens to erode Russia's nuclear deterrent.

Russia successfully test launched a hypersonic cruise missile in the Barents Sea, a senior commander told Vladimir Putin on the Russian leader's 68th birthday https://t.co/fFkM9lzver pic.twitter.com/I2olLIG5xX

— Reuters (@Reuters) October 7, 2020

Tsirkon's tests will continue for some time before the newest missile can be deployed on Russian vessels and submarines, according to Gerasimov who did not give a timeline for the completion of those tests.

The missile test comes at a point when military relations between Russia and the United States are their worst since the end of the Cold War.

Washington last year pulled out of a key nuclear arms treaty, citing Russian violations.

Time is also running out on the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, the last major nuclear arms agreement between the two countries which is due to expire in February.

Russia and the US have spent months negotiating an extension for the treaty as the Trump Administration insists that it will only renew the deal if Russia makes additional commitments.

The expiry of the treaty would leave the world with no legal restrictions on US and Russian nuclear weapons for the first time in almost half a century.