Unknown missile that hit Sumy identified as Russia’s Zircon — Defense Express
On August 21, the missile used by Russian forces to strike Sumy was identified as the hypersonic 3M22 Zircon
According to Defense Express, in the morning update on August 21 from the Ukrainian Air Forces, the missile was labeled as an “unknown type” before its type had been fully confirmed. The outcome of the launch has been described as “unsuccessful.”
Historically, Zircon missiles demonstrate very low accuracy and carry relatively small warheads, revealing yet another major failure of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Wreckage of downed Zircon missile in Kyiv, photo: Defense Express
The 3M22 Zircon is equipped with a hypersonic scramjet engine. Its speed during the cruise phase in the upper atmosphere reaches up to Mach 5.5. During descent toward the target, the missile accelerates to a peak speed of Mach 7.5, but slows to Mach 4.5 closer to the ground.
For this unsuccessful strike, the Russian troops launched the Zircon from temporarily occupied Crimea, as in previous cases. Most likely, the only launch site available to them is the known “Object-100,” or “Sotka,” near the village of Rezervne—a stationary underground coastal defense facility built in the 1960s for P-35 missiles.
Key known characteristics of the 3M22 Zircon:
Engine type: Hypersonic scramjet
Speed: Cruise up to Mach 5.5 (\~6,700 km/h); descent peak up to Mach 7.5, slowing to Mach 4.5 near the ground
Range: Estimated 500–1,000 km
Warhead: Small, approximately 300–400 kg, limiting strike effectiveness
Launch platforms: Ships, submarines, and coastal defense land-based launchers.
- On the night of August 21, the Russian army carried out a massive combined attack on Ukraine. Ukrainian air defenders destroyed 31 missiles and 546 drones.
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