Kyiv Forensic Expertise Institute assesses Russia's cutting-edge Zircon missile

The Zircon missiles used by Russia to attack Kyiv on 7 February and 25 March do not adequately perform during their combat missions.

Source: Andrii Kulchytskyi, Head of the Military Research Laboratory of Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise, in a commentary to Suspilne, Ukraine's public broadcaster 

Quote: "This missile does not perform its combat mission. Everything that is charged, all the characteristics of ‘super’ or ‘hyper’ – all these are just words, but in reality, the missile is still a long way from being used in combat. It flies in the wrong direction, and does not do the job it is designed for."

Details: Kulchytskyi said that the warhead of the Zircon contains no more than 40 kilograms of explosives.

"We are still conducting expertise to determine what kind of substance is there. But the warhead is small: it cannot be compared to the warheads of such missiles as Kh-101 and Kh-22," he said. 

Background:

• On the morning of 25 March 2024, an air-raid warning was issued in Kyiv, followed immediately by explosions. Air defence systems were responding to an attack. Kyiv authorities reported a missile attack that caused debris to fall in the Pecherskyi, Solomianskyi and Dniprovskyi districts of Kyiv.
• After the attack, it became clear that Russia had struck Kyiv with two of its newest 3M22 Zircon missiles.
• On 12 February, the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise reported that Russia had used a 3M22 Zircon missile on 7 February in Ukraine, with the Russians claiming it was hypersonic.

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