Russia is developing a new generation of hypersonic missiles capable of carrying out attacks from land, air or sea, according to the country's deputy prime minister.
Yuri Borisov was quoted by the Interfax news agency on Monday as saying the weapons were being developed to compete with the United States' own stockpiles.
“Work is underway to create a new generation of ground, air and sea-based hypersonic missiles. In terms of their characteristics, they will surpass the existing and prospective developments of the leading states,” he said.
He added that Russia plans to equip modern aviation systems with new missiles, saying: “Tests are already underway on Tu-22M3M missile carriers."
The development of a new generation of hypersonic weapons by Russia was announced by its defence minister Sergei Shoigu in August 2021.
“In the future, we have an increase in the range of hypersonic weapons," he said.
"This is an increase in speeds, if we talk about the same hypersound, this is an increase in accuracy, this, of course, is the adaptation of carriers to new types of weapons."
Russia also confirmed on Monday that it has enough high-precision missiles and ammunition "to fulfil all the tasks assigned to the country's armed forces", the Interfax news agency quoted Borisov as saying.
A senior Pentagon official said in March that Russia, which sent thousands of troops into Ukraine on February 24 in what it
calls a special military operation, was running out of precision guided munitions.
It comes as Vladimir Putin ’s regime was accused of “mirroring” the actions of the Nazis.
The British defence secretary Ben Wallace will use a major speech to say that Putin and his inner circle should share the same fate as the Nazis, who ended up defeated and facing the Nuremberg trials for their atrocities.
In Moscow, Mr Putin will watch the Victory Day parade of military hardware, marking the defeat of the Nazis in 1945.
But according to extracts briefed to the Telegraph and Times, Mr Wallace will say: “Through their invasion of Ukraine, Putin, his inner circle and generals are now mirroring the fascism and tyranny of 70 years ago, repeating the errors of last century’s totalitarian regimes.”
He will add: “Their fate must also, surely, eventually be the same.”
Russia ’s sacrifices in the past should not be forgotten, “but nor must the lessons about what lies in store for the perpetrators of such unprovoked brutality”.
In a message to Mr Putin, he will say: “In going to such extremes to justify this war of choice he and his generals are now ripping up both Russia’s past and its future.
“Their unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine, attacks against innocent citizens and their homes, and the widespread atrocities – including deliberately against women and children – corrupts the memory of past sacrifices and Russia’s once-proud global reputation.”
