The threat of nuclear war has once again skyrocketed; Russia claimed it used a hypersonic missile to hit Ukraine for the first time.
Experts are now believing this is part of Russia’s “strategic plan.”
Russia Poses a New Threat of Nuclear War
According to Russia, it used the newly made hypersonic missile, Kinzhal, against a Ukrainian weapons storage site.
The Russian state-controlled media did acknowledge it is the first time the country used a hypersonic missile since the start of the Russian invasion into Ukraine.
As per Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Igor Konashenkov, the Kinzhal missile system bombarded an underground facility to destroy warehouses of Ukrainian missiles.
New: US officials confirmed to CNN that Russia launched hypersonic missiles against Ukraine last week, the first known use of such missiles in combat. The US was able to track the launches in real time, the sources said. with @jimsciutto @barbarastarrcnn https://t.co/ETUWEBYGQm
— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) March 19, 2022
One of the official missions of Russia in this war is to demilitarize the Ukrainian army, hence this operation. Likewise, the ministry noted Russia neutralized a Ukrainian military facility, using its anti-ship missile system near the port of Odessa.
While different news channels including Fox News and AlJazeera were unable to verify Russia’s statements, these remarks signified the persisting threat of nuclear war.
Recently, the United Nations Secretary-General also warned the Russia-Ukraine conflict has brought the likelihood of nuclear war into the realm of possibility. In the era of soft power, Russia often touts its enlarging modern weaponry.
Russian President Vladamir Putin, in December, bragged about his might in hypersonic missiles and capability to maneuver intercepting facilities.
Russia, China, North Korea Championing the Hypersonic Missile Policy
Imran Khan, a journalist of AlJazeera, stated Russia’s approach to using sophisticated technology on the battlefield is alarming the world.
Just in the past few days, Russia fired cruise missiles multiple times on Kyiv, which were intercepted by Ukraine’s missile defense system.
Putin's authoritarian playbook:
1) Spin lies to justify military action.
2) Break int'l law, target civilians.
3) Threaten nuclear war.
4) Call for a purge of "traitors."
5) Hold mass rallies to build support.
6) Repeat.It's a dangerous descent into madness.
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) March 20, 2022
The first time Russia used these hypersonic missiles outside Ukraine was in Syria in 2016, which sparked a debate of human rights in the war.
According to Putin, the Kinzhal missile is an “ideal weapon” which holds the capability of flying at Mach speech 10, hence dodging missile defense systems.
Dorsa Jabbari, another AlJazeera journalist, claimed these Russian hypersonic missiles have the capability of carrying nuclear warheads in them.
When Putin announced new arrivals in his missile inventory in 2018, he proclaimed these missiles could have hit any part of the word, and the United States’ missile defense systems would not be able to intercept them.
While denouncing America’s NATO ambitions, Putin remarked if the United States does not course-correct in Europe, Russia would also put these hypersonic missiles on ships and send them to navigate American waters.
The United States also made some efforts in creating hypersonic missiles to deter Russia.
However, countries like China are having a competitive advantage, due to their close relations with Russia. Last year, a Chinese hypersonic missile circumvented the earth without getting caught by any global sensor.
Not only this, but North Korea also made such missiles, enhancing the likelihood of a nuclear war in the near future.
