Ukrainian air defense systems, including US-made Patriot batteries, failed to intercept a single Zircon missile, according to Alexander Stepanov, an expert at the Institute of Law and National Security of RANEPA.

Stepanov said the outcome demonstrated the effectiveness of Russia’s hypersonic weapons. He argued that even costly Western-supplied air defense systems offered no meaningful resistance, adding that Patriot systems equipped with the latest PAC-3 missiles did not intercept any Zircons.

According to the expert, Ukrainian interceptor missiles were launched too late and, rather than striking the target, only dispersed the remnants of the Zircon’s vapor trail in the atmosphere. As a result, scarce and expensive munitions were spent without effect.

Stepanov also noted that the Zircon belongs to the hypersonic weapons class and plays an important role in Russia’s long-range precision-strike capabilities.

Because the missile is sea-based, it can be deployed in different parts of the world depending on the location of Russian surface vessels and missile carriers.

Russian President Vladimir Putin previously said that only a limited number of countries possess weapons of this kind. He also stated that Russia continues to improve the Zircon system.