Russia’s new hypersonic missiles were reportedly leaked to Western spies

Photo: A MiG-31 fires a hypersonic Kh-47M2 “Kinzhal” nuclear-capable, anti-surface missile. Russian Ministry Defense

Alex Lockie

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) suspects that plans for two of its new, game-changing hypersonic missiles have been leaked to Western spies — and heads are sure to roll as an angry Kremlin investigates the leaks.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense released on Thursday new footage of two of its most revolutionary weapons systems, a hypersonic Kh-47M2 “Kinzhal” nuclear-capable, anti-surface missile, and the Avangard, a maneuverable ballistic missile reentry vehicle specifically made to outfox the US missile defenses arrayed around Europe.

The FSB now suspects these same systems, both of which cope with the challenges of flight at around ten times the speed of sound, have been leaked to the West.

“It was established that the leak came from TsNIIMash [a Russian state-owned defense and space company] employees,” a source close to the FSB investigation Russia’s Kommersant newspaper, as the BBC notes.

“A lot of heads will roll, and for sure this case won’t end just with a few dismissals,” the source said.

The hypersonic arms race

A Boeing X-51 hypersonic cruise missile at Edwards Air Force Base, California, May 26, 2010 US Air Force