Almost two years after the start of the conflict, Kinzhal, as defined by the Russian government as “unstoppable,” appears not to have yielded the desired results.
Introduced in 2017 as one of Russia's six strategic “superweapons,” Kinzel hypersonic missiles have been widely used by Moscow in its war against Ukraine.
In March 2022, in the early days of the conflict, US President Joe Biden confirmed Russia's use of the weapon, characterizing it as “virtually impossible to stop”.
Almost two years later, Kinzhal, as defined by the Russian government as “unstoppable,” appears not to have had the desired results. In December 2023, a United Kingdom Ministry of Defense report indicated that these hypersonic missiles had not achieved the success the Kremlin had promised.
“Many launches did not reach their intended targets” can be read in the reportKinzel also claims that some American-made Patriots were shot down by anti-aircraft systems.
According to Business InsiderThe weapon's unsatisfactory performance has not been viewed favorably by Chinese analysts, who view the war in Ukraine as a testing ground for Western weapons.
In a study deemed “surprising” by the publication, Yin Jie, a military expert in the journal Ordnance Industry Science and Technology, criticized Kinsale in November.
Quoted by Business Insider, Yin described it as a “short-term and urgent project” that was launched “by force” due to Western pressure.
There is a basis for Chinese concern about the Kinsal's lack of effectiveness, according to the magazine, as Beijing hopes to use positive data on the weapon's effectiveness against Western defense equipment for the development of its own line. Hypersonic missiles. , Dongfeng family.
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