Russia says it used its newest hypersonic missile for the first time in a combat engagement to target a weapons depot in Western Ukraine.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov told news outlets during a briefing Saturday that the Kinzhal missiles destroyed an underground missile and ammunition warehouse in Ukraine’s Ivano-Frankivsk region.
Russia’s Interfax news agency said the strike, which occurred on Friday, was the first use of hypersonic missiles since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.
Ukrainian officials confirmed that a Russian strike took place in the region, though have not provided further details.
The Kinzhal was part of a series of advanced weapons unveiled by Russia in 2018, and described by Russian President Vladimir Putin as “invincible.”
Russia claims the missile, which is carried by MiG-31 fighter jets, flies at 10 times the speed of sound and has a range of about 1,250 miles.
While Russian forces continue their onslaught on Ukrainian cities in the east, they have more recently begun striking targets further west using long-range missiles.
Mr. Konashenkov also said Russian forces employed the anti-ship Bastion missile system, first used in Syria in 2016, to target Ukrainian military facilities near the Black Sea port city of Odesa.
Russian forces continue to face significant resistance from Ukrainian forces.
The U.K.’s Ministry of Defense warned in its layered intelligence update on Saturday that Russia “has been forced to change its operational approach and is now pursuing a strategy of attrition” after so far failing to “achieve its original objectives.”
“This is likely to involve the indiscriminate use of firepower resulting in increased civilian casualties, destruction of Ukrainian Infrastructure, and intensify the humanitarian crisis,” the U.K. Ministry of Defense said.
— This story includes wire reports.