MURMANSK. March 28 (Interfax) - Russia's Tsirkon anti-ship missiles can be called a strategic weapon, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Given the power of this weapon and the precision and speed of its movement towards the target, it can definitely be attributed to the category of strategic systems," Putin said at a meeting with the Arkhangelsk nuclear submarine crew.
Russia has been a mighty naval power for centuries and will be doing everything it can to maintain this status, including by building and upgrading submarines and surface ships, Putin said.
The Tactical Missiles Corporation developed the Tsirkon naval hypersonic missile.
According to official information, the Northern Fleet's Admiral Gorshkov frigate was the first carrier of Tsirkon missiles.
The Northern Fleet press service said in December 2021 that two successful Tsirkon launches had been accomplished from a submarine.
Earlier official reports said it was planned to arm Yasen-M nuclear submarines, carriers of Oniks and Kalibr cruise missiles, with Tsirkon missiles.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his address to the Federal Assembly in February 2019 that Tsirkon would be able to strike ground and surface targets on distances exceeding 1,000 kilometers at a Mach 9 speed.
He said in December 2019 that the work on sea- and ground-based Tsirkon hypersonic missile was on schedule.