"Not super-efficient". What is the danger of the Zircon missile?

According to preliminary data, on the night of November 14, Russia again used the Zircon hypersonic missile. This is at least the fourth time this weapon has been used. LIGA.net tells what is known about the characteristics of this missile and whether it is as dangerous as Russia is trying to make it out to be.What is Zircon and what are its characteristics"Zircon (ZM22) is a hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile. It was tested approximately from 2016 to 2022. In 2023, Russia planned to adopt the missile, but still denies that it has done so. Therefore, its characteristics have not been officially announced, although at different times the aggressor country has reported on certain properties. In particular,:probable range: 400 to 1000 km (sometimes even 1500 km was mentioned);speed: 6 Mach to 9 Mach;warhead weight: 200 kg to 300 kg;length: 8-10 m.In reality, According to Defence Express, the missile's warhead weighs 100-150 kg, of which the explosive is up to 40 kg. For comparison, the estimated combat weight of the Kinzhal is 500 kg, and the Kalibr is 400 kg.See also The US is considering the sale of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. How these missiles workMaximum range of "Zircon" Defense Express estimates at 700 km. Steady-state speed is Mach 5.5. In the vicinity of the target, the missile accelerates to Mach 7.5, and closer to the ground, it reduces its speed to Mach 4.5.HELPThe Mach number shows the ratio of the speed of an object to the speed of sound. It depends on many factors, so it is only possible to convert Mach numbers to km/h only approximately. Approximately, 7.5 Mach equals 9000 km/h, and 5.5 Mach equals 5973 km/h.Although the figures do not correspond to those declared by Russia, this is still a hypersonic figure, emphasizes Defense Express. So it is difficult to shoot down the Zircon. Difficult – but not impossible.."It's not very effective," Anatoliy Khrapchynsky, a reserve air force officer and deputy director of an electronic warfare company, tells LIGA.net "It can be intercepted by the Patriot and a number of other American missiles, such as the SM-6, which is in the same box as the Typhon launcher (from which Tomahawk is launched). It is not available to us, but it is a good solution. So is the Aster-30 ( missiles that France gives us – note:. ) In general, anything that can analyze and predict the flight path can be intercepted by Zircon. Therefore, talk of a "superweapon" is just an attempt at PR by the Russian Federation," Khrapchynsky says .Zircons are usually launched from Crimea, from launchers built for Onyx missiles. According to UNIAN, the missile takes an average of 6-7 minutes to reach Kyiv,, . However, it is difficult to calculate the exact time of approach because you need to know the parameters of the missile, in particular, the trajectory. The Zircon's trajectory is aeroballistic, meaning it can ascend and descend several times.When Russia used Zircon against UkraineThe first alleged use of the Zircon was on December 29, 2023, when Russia attacked Zaporizhzhia. The Main Department of the National Police in Zaporizhzhia region announced the use of this type of missile, but no further information (such as examination and confirmation of use) was published.But a month later, on February 7, 2024,, , the aggressor country launched Zircon at Kyiv. A few days later, experts from the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise (Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise) confirmed that it was this missile. On March 25 of the same year, Zircon was used again – this time twice, and again in Kyiv. According to Defence Express, the Ukrainian Armed Forces managed to shoot down both missiles.According to monitoring telegram channels, Zircon could also have been used on May 4 and July 8, 2024 (the day Russia attacked Okhmatdyt), but there was no mention of this in official reports.november 17, 2024 Russia launches at least one Zircon at Kyiv (according to monitoring tg channels – two).Defence Express reports that on August 21, 2025, Zircon was used to strike Sumy. But according to Suspilne, the Air Force did not confirm this information. Also according to Defence Express, at that time it was the 14th launch of this missile.The last alleged use of this weapon, on the night of November 14 – and again in Sumy region - experts have not yet confirmed.What is the danger of Zircon and how it differs from other missilesKhrapchynskyi emphasizes that Russia, which claims that the Zircon has some extraordinary characteristics, uses this weapon more for psychological pressure. However, since we are heavily dependent on our partners and we do not have a fully developed system to counter such missiles, Zircon is currently a problem."The Zircon is also an anti-ship missile, meaning it is meant to be used against the navy. But, according to Khrapchynsky, Russians often use weapons not for their intended purpose, but for their availability.In the case of anti-ship missiles, this means that their accuracy on land is reduced, in part because they have to fly higher to avoid objects on the ground. They are also unable to visually capture elements and adjust their trajectory using satellites.Among other dangers of the Zircon is its fuel, which can burn and explode, causing a lot of damage. Khrapchynskyi compares the potential effect of this missile's arrival to the hit of an X-22 on a residential building in Dnipro on January 14, 2023, when an entire entranceway was destroyed.Khrapchynsky concludes that, like the Kinzhal and ballistic missiles, the Zircon is used for quick, unexpected attacks. At the same time, it has poor maneuverability: like the Iskander, it cannot turn sharply to the other side, so its trajectory is easier to predict.