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Feb 25, 2019
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Russian TV Anchor Dmitry Kiselev Explains How Hypersonic Zircon Missile Could Strike U.S. Command Centers in Less than Five Minutes

#7057 | 05:59
Source: Russia 1

In a Russia-1 TV broadcast that was uploaded to the Internet on February 25, 2019, Russian TV anchor Dmitry Kiselev commented on the last part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's speech at the Federation Council in which Putin discussed the American withdrawal from the INF Treaty and warned the U.S. against deploying missiles in Europe. Kiselev said that American medium-range missiles deployed in Europe could reach Russia in 10-12 minutes and that in the event of an attack, instead of attacking the country in which the missiles are deployed, Russia will attack the decision-making centers on American soil directly. Kiselev showed the Pentagon, Camp David, Fort Ritchie, McClellan AFB, and the Jim Creek Navy installation on a map of the United States and explained that Russia could strike these locations in 4 minutes and 36 seconds if Russian submarines carrying Russia's hypersonic Zircon missiles, which can fly at Mach 9 (over 7,000 miles per hour) and have a range of 600 miles, were deployed 250 miles from the American coasts, outside of the 200-mile-wide U.S. exclusive economic zone. Kiselev added: "Do you really need to deploy missiles in Europe, aimed at us?"

 

Dmitry Kiselev: And since the United States has decided to unilaterally withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and is going to deploy such missiles in Europe, Putin made it clear what dangers such a step poses for Russia, given that such missiles will be able to reach Moscow within 10-12 minutes.

Vladimir Putin (in clip): This is a very serious threat for us. In this case, we will be forced – I would like to emphasize this – we will be forced to respond with equivalent or asymmetric actions. What does this mean? Russia will be forced to create and deploy weapons that can be used not only against the territories that we are directly threatened from, but also against the territories where the decision-making centers are located for the missile systems threatening us.

Dmitry Kiselev: Decision-making centers. This is a fundamentally new step towards justice. Until now, America has been lying low overseas, only putting its allies under retaliatory fire, allies who foolishly agreed to host, for example, medium-range missile launchers. Who are they? For example, Romania. MK-41 units have already been deployed there. Poland agreed as well. Maybe Georgia will do so too. What's up with Poland? Anyway, Poland will get its bitters if a launch occurs on its territory. Instead, we'll seek a retaliatory strike directly on U.S. territory, as Putin has put it, where the decision-making centers are. After all, if anything, it won't be the Poles or the Romanians who will press the launch button. They're far away from it. Let's follow Putin's ideas further. It is important. We have a technological answer.

Vladimir Putin (in clip): Now, another promising innovation. It is being successfully developed and will be finished as scheduled. Namely, I'd like to speak about the Zircon hypersonic missile that can reach a speed of approximately Mach 9 and cover over 600 miles to hit both waterborne and land-based targets. It can be launched from the water, from surface vessels and submarines, including those that have already been developed and are built for carrying Kalibr high-precision missiles, which means that all this comes at no additional cost for us.

Dmitry Kiselev: Now, let's align the decision to take aim at decision-making centers in the U.S. in case American short- and intermediate-range missiles are deployed in Europe with a story about our unparalleled sea-based Zircon missiles which can cover over 600 miles.

Where are those decision-making centers situated in the USA? Here are just a few on the East Coast. Let's take a look at them. The Pentagon. It houses the highest command and control structures of the Armed Forces and the Chiefs of Staff Committee; Camp David, the government command post, where the U.S. President is supposed to be present; Fort Ritchie, Maryland, the U.S. President's command post and the Chiefs of Staff Committee command center. That's it so far. Let's turn to the west. McClellan, California, a site where strategic offensive forces are managed, and Jim Creek, Washington, hosting a nuclear command and control center. If we, without violating treaties or disturbing anyone, simply deploy our submarines, each carrying 40 Zircon missiles, in the ocean, then the very decision-making centers that Putin mentioned will be within range of Russian hypersonic weapons.

Vladimir Putin (in clip): So let them calculate the range and speed of our future arms systems. This is all we are asking: just do the math first before making decisions that may further create additional serious threats to our country. It goes without saying that such decisions will prompt Russia to respond; its security being reliable and unconditional.

Dmitry Kiselev: Putin requests that calculations be made so that's what we're going to do. Our submarines are to be beyond the U.S exclusive economic zone, which is 200 nautical miles wide (230 miles.) They can be safely deployed 250 miles from the coast. All these decision-making centers aren't far from the shore, either. Say, another 250 miles, which comes to a total of 500 miles. The Zircon has a speed of almost 7,000 miles per hour. In such a case, the Zircon will cover 500 miles in under five minutes. A child could solve this problem. This is the flight time. Five minutes. That is why Putin requests that calculations be made. Do you really need to deploy missiles in Europe, aimed at us? So far we haven't been threatening anyone. But if the missiles are deployed there, the response will be instantaneous.

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