TSAMTO, March 20. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation do not actually use hypersonic weapons during a special military operation in Ukraine, although Russia has it, like other modern systems.
This, as RIA Novosti reports, was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 19 in an interview with Pavel Zarubin in the program "Moscow. Kremlin. Putin" on the TV channel "Russia 1".
The journalist asked the head of state whether it made sense to launch a special operation to protect the population of Donbass already in 2014. Vladimir Putin replied that this question concerns Russia's readiness for more serious actions than in the framework of the Crimean Spring. It was about providing food, import substitution, strengthening the financial system, and developing modern weapons.
The President stressed that now, despite the expectations of the enemy, nothing has collapsed in Russia, the financial system is functioning, banks are increasing their capabilities. But, in his opinion, it is very difficult to say what would have happened in 2014.
"And finally, we had a lot to do, for example, for the development of the ground forces. We didn't have hypersonic weapons then, but we do now. Yes, we don't actually use it, but it is there. Do you understand? There are other modern systems, but in 2014 there was nothing like this," Putin said.
It is impossible to use the subjunctive mood here, the president concluded.
As the agency reminds, for the first time about Russian hypersonic weapons, V. Putin announced in 2018 in a message to the Federal Assembly. Then he told about the Avangard and Dagger complexes, later it became known about the development of the Zircon cruise missile.
