The Russian frigate Admiral Golovko, equipped with the latest Zircon hypersonic missiles, has entered the Atlantic Ocean to perform combat missions after a series of exercises in the English Channel, Russian agencies report, citing the Russian Defence Ministry, Reuters reports.
As noted, the crew of the frigate with Zircon missiles conducted a series of training exercises, rehearsing scenarios to repel drone attacks from the air and sea by an imaginary enemy. RIA Novosti reported that the Admiral Golovko has completed the crossing of the English Channel and is currently operating in certain areas of the Atlantic, fulfilling its assigned tasks.
This is the first long-distance voyage for the multi-purpose frigate after it was commissioned into the Russian Navy in December 2023. The ship left its base in northern Russia in early November and has been on active patrol since then.
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu emphasised at the stage of Admiral Golovko’s commissioning that the frigate would be the first of its kind to be equipped with Zircon hypersonic missiles, which have a range of up to 900 km and can travel at speeds several times faster than the speed of sound, making them virtually unattainable for existing air defence systems.
According to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision, Russian warships will be heavily equipped with Zirconiums starting in 2023. These weapons, along with the Avangard hypersonic missile system, form the basis of Russia’s new hypersonic arsenal, which is designed to ensure Russia’s ability to penetrate modern missile defence systems, including those of the United States, which, according to Putin, could pose a threat to Russia’s nuclear potential.
These developments in the Atlantic are attracting special attention of Western observers, as the Kremlin continues to demonstrate its defence capabilities and hypersonic weapons potential against the backdrop of global security tensions.
