A TERRIFYING video shows the moment a Russian hypersonic missile soared through the atmosphere before hitting its target in eastern Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin launched the new Oreshnik hypersonic missile on Thursday.
Footage shows the new 7,600mph Oreshnik hypersonic missile ripping through the night sky[/caption]
The missile left an eerie trail in the atmosphere as it continued its deadly journey to Dnipro[/caption]
At one point in the clip, viewers can see the moment it pierces through the atmosphere as it breaks the sound barrier[/caption]
The clip shared on social media shows the ballistic missile travelling through the night sky in Russia before reaching the city of Dnipro in Ukraine.
The medium-range rocket left a stream of white smoke in its wake as it propelled itself forward to reach its target.
It travels at Mach 10 with a speed of 7,600 mph which is faster than the speed of sound.
At one point in the video, a vapour ring appears as the missile rips through the night sky.
Another angle shown from almost directly beneath the missile shows the wide vapour trail being left by the missile.
The missile shattered Ukrainian defences and dropped a cluster bomb of warheads on Dnipro early on Thursday morning.
Russia’s terrifying new rocket is defined as an IRBM or an intermediate-range ballistic missile.
The launch sparked fears of nuclear war after The Pentagon stated that while the Kremlin fired the Oreshnik with traditional warheads, it could be modified to carry nuclear weaponry instead.
“It could be refitted to certainly carry different types of conventional or nuclear warheads,” spokesperson Sabrina Singh warned.
The US National Security Council attempted to quash fears by stating that Russia likely only has a few of these “experimental” missiles and not enough to be a game-changer in the conflict.
But, the deputy head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Ukraine has since warned that there will be at least 10 of these missiles as Russia continues to test the weaponry.
Vadym Skibitskyi said: “If this is research and combat use, then there will be at least ten missiles.”
In an address to his nation on Thursday, Putin spoke with pride about the capabilities of his latest weapon and how nothing can counteract it.
Russian sources have claimed the missile has a range of 5,000km which could see it reach the West Coast of the US and most of Europe.
Russia dropped six separate warheads on the Yuzhmash defence plant in Dnipro[/caption]
The tyrant called the launch a retaliation for Ukraine’s use of US and UK long-range missiles that hit targets deep inside Russia for the first time since the war broke out.
He further threatened to attack military sites in the US and Britain that have produced the US ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles.
President Zelensky slammed the move as “a clear and severe escalation in the scale and brutality of this war.”
“This is yet more proof that Russia has no interest in peace.
“Putin is not only prolonging the war – he is spitting in the face of those in the world who genuinely want peace to be restored.”
The Oreshnik was one of seven missiles launched against Dnipro on Thursday morning from 5 am onwards, the Ukrainian Air Force said.
But the country’s defences managed to shoot down all but the IRBM which was tracked by Ukraine from its launch site in the Astrakhan region.
Footage shows the moment the warheads from the IRBM struck Ukraine in a series of fiery explosions.
Officials confirmed that there were no reports of casualties or of any significant damage after the missiles targeted businesses and infrastructure.
Since Putin’s threats against Britain, a defence chief has declared that the country is “ready for war.”
Ukrainian officials shot down six of the seven missiles launched by Russia and confirmed that there was no significant damage caused or casualties[/caption]
The Russian attack on Thursday began at 5 am in response to Ukraine’s use of US and UK weaponry inside Russia[/caption]
Putin has since threatened to attack the US and the UK after Zelensky’s use of their weaponry[/caption]
