Ukraine neutralizes Russian hypersonic threat in Lviv region
Pyrotechnicians from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine successfully removed the warhead of a Russian Kinzhal missile, which was found in the Lviv region in western Ukraine. Russia's marketing of the Kinzhals as "superweapons" does not hold up, and although they remain very dangerous, they often fail to hit designated targets.
9:17 AM EDT, October 25, 2024
"The pyrotechnicians of the State Emergency Service neutralized the warhead of the Russian Kinzhal missile. It was discovered almost two months after the aggressor's massive shelling of Ukraine. The rescue services professionally and quickly neutralized the warhead to protect the region's residents from possible explosions," stated the official announcement.
Ukrainians found the warhead of a Russian Kinzhal missile
The target of the Kinzhal missile, the remnants of which were found by Ukrainian sappers, was the capital of the Lviv region. Although the region is relatively close to the Polish border and, therefore, NATO, it occasionally comes under Russian fire.
Kinzhals are hypersonic missiles traveling at speeds over 3,800 mph. The Russians claim they accelerate to even 7,600 mph, but it's most likely no more than 6,080 mph in practice. For this reason, they are difficult to combat, although, as the war in Ukraine has shown, Kinzhals are not indestructible, and American Patriots handle them relatively well.
Ukraine's problem, even after the war ends
To carry these missiles, which weigh over 10,000 lbs, the Russians most often use MiG-31K fighters, but sometimes Tu-22M bombers. From the Ukrainians' point of view, a significant issue is the Kinzhals' range, which reaches up to 1,240 miles.
This is not the first such "find" in Ukraine. Remnants of various types of Russian weapons are systematically being discovered, and this will not change even after a potential end to the war. Besides missiles, the Russians also mark their presence on the land with various types of mines. In 2023, the British Ministry of Defense published a report indicating that "Ukraine is now the most mined country in the world."
