Russia tests supersonic missile, 10 times faster than sound speed

Russia has declared it has successfully tested the “personic missile”, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed this month that he has the capacity to fly 10 times faster than the speed of voice.

The Kinzhal rocket has been launched from today from the military region in southern Russia, the defence ministry has said.

“The launch has gone according to plan, the supersonic missile has hit the target in the testing process”, the ministry has said.

This rocket has been part of the new weapons system, which Putin has introduced in his speech to the nation on March 1st, just before holding presidential elections in this country, held on March 18th.

The rocket could carry nuclear and conventional heads at a distance of more than 2,000km, the Russian president has said, promising it exceeds air defence systems.

The rocket was deployed in the southern military region on December 1st, he said.

Under the weapons he presented in the speech, the Russian president has also mentioned testing intercstrian ballistic missiles, Sarmat, who, according to him, exceeded its predecessor.

Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White has dismissed Putin's comments, saying the US Army has the capacity to protect the state from any threat.

US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert has said that with the approach of presidential elections in Russia, Putin “is playing with the interior audience”.