Zircon missiles are attacking Ukraine: why they are difficult to shoot down and how many Russia has

Russia’s hypersonic weapons have become a new security challenge for Ukraine. Zircon missiles reach their targets in a matter of minutes at speeds of up to Mach 7.5, leaving air defence systems with very little time to react and intercept them. Find out how many of these missiles Russia has stockpiled and why Patriot systems are crucial for destroying them

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Russian forces have intensified their attacks on Ukrainian cities, making more active use of hypersonic weapons. During one of the recent night-time attacks, the enemy fired eight ‘Zircon’ missiles at once, but the air defence failed to intercept them. The reason lies both in the specific nature of the aerial target itself and in the lack of modern interception systems among Ukrainian defenders.

What is the ‘Zircon’ missile, where is it launched from, and what is its speed

3M22 ‘Zircon’ is the latest Russian anti-ship missile, which the Russian military has unusually repurposed for strikes against ground targets in Ukraine. As Anton Zemlyanoy, an analyst at the Ukrainian Centre for Security and Cooperation (UCSC), explains in an article for ‘RBC-Ukraine’, the Russians have adapted these missiles for use on the ‘Bastion’ mobile coastal launchers. Previously, such systems were used exclusively for launching ‘Onyx’ missiles.

The exact tactical and technical specifications of the weapon are classified, but open sources indicate a range of up to 1,500 kilometres and a warhead weight of between 300 and 400 kilograms. The main danger lies in its cruise speed: it reaches Mach 5.5, and during the final dive phase accelerates to Mach 7.5.

Launches have been recorded from both the temporarily occupied Crimea and the Kursk region of the Russian Federation. Due to its true hypersonic speed, the time taken to reach targets in Ukraine is a critical 3–6 minutes. This leaves civilians with minimal time to take cover, and the military with little time to react.

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Can air defence systems shoot down the ‘Zircon’ and why is it so difficult

The Ukrainian military already has a successful track record of intercepting ‘Zircons’ (notably over Kyiv), but this requires ideal conditions and advanced air defence missile systems. As Dmytro Slydiuk, head of the training department for drone pilots, noted on the Kyiv24 TV channel, the missile’s colossal speed forces air defence crews to operate at the limits of human and technical capabilities. Flying at a speed of around 6,000 kilometres per hour leaves defenders with mere seconds to detect the target, transmit data and make a decision on engagement.

The only systems capable of effectively destroying such ballistic targets are the American Patriot and the European SAMP/T. However, the successful penetration of eight missiles during the recent attack is not due to the technical impossibility of shooting them down, but to an acute shortage of ammunition. According to an expert at the UCSB, it is precisely the shortage of PAC-3 kinetic interceptor missiles, which partners are unable to supply in time, that allows the hypersonic ‘Zircons’ to reach their targets.

How many ‘Zircon’ missiles does Russia have and what are the production volumes?

According to official data from the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), the production rate of this hypersonic weapon in Russia remains stable but is not increasing significantly. The aggressor’s military-industrial complex is capable of producing around 10 such missiles per month. In recent years, the occupiers have managed to accumulate just over 200 units.

Unlike the Kh-101 or Kalibr cruise missiles, Russia does not deploy Zircons on a large scale. Analysts agree that the enemy uses them selectively — to supplement ballistic attacks, diversify its arsenal and maximise the depletion of Ukrainian air defences. As experts conclude, with a sufficient number of interceptors for the Patriot systems, the challenge posed by the use of ‘Zircons’ would have been fully and successfully overcome.

Shortage of air defence missiles in Ukraine

Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ignat, following another massive strike on Ukraine, noted that the country does indeed have a shortage of air defence missiles.

“This is an issue for us in this war. There has been, is, and will be a shortage of missiles. Not many are produced worldwide, and there aren’t many production sites. Therefore, the issue of communication with partners is always discussed, even publicly. And our soldiers are reaching out in an attempt to somehow influence this missile supply process,” Ignat noted.

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