Russia sent a frigate with Zircons on a cruise. Why NATO is unlikely to be afraid
The frigate "Admiral Gorshkov", armed with new hypersonic missiles "Zircon", set off on a long voyage across the Atlantic and Indian oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea
Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in the ship's farewell ceremony via video link, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“The frigate “Admiral Gorshkov” begins a long sea voyage. This is a common thing, but this time the ship is equipped with the latest Zircon hypersonic missile system, which has no analogues - this is a sea-based hypersonic system - as well as other weapons of the latest generations. We began mass production of this unique weapon. I am confident that such powerful weapons will make it possible to reliably protect Russia from potential external threats and will help ensure the national interests of our country. This is a promising weapon,” Putin said.
Before the ship set out on a long sea voyage, the head of state heard reports from Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and frigate commander Igor Krokhmal.
“This is a message to the West that Russia has nuclear missiles that are guaranteed to defeat any modern air defense. Why now? Perhaps the Russian army is ready for an offensive in Ukraine and before this offensive the Kremlin is sending a signal to NATO - there is no need for escalation. You will regret it,” political scientist Sergei Markov wrote in his TG channel.
The frigate “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov” is a modern multi-purpose ship with guided missile weapons, designed to solve problems in far sea and ocean zones. It was accepted into the Navy in 2018 and modified in 2021 for the use of Zircon hypersonic missiles.
According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Nikolai Evmenov, in 2023 the fleet plans to receive the strategic missile cruiser with ballistic missiles "Emperor Alexander II", 4 submarines, 12 surface ships and support vessels. Also, new marine divisions will be formed next year.
Gunsmith Vladislav Lobaev believes that the duty of ships with “Zircons” should be organized off the coast of America, only then will it have a psychological effect on the United States.
“This frigate should be sailing somewhere in the Atlantic or Caribbean Sea, and at least half of its Zircons and Calibers should be equipped with SBS. Then perhaps there will be some sense...
90% of residents of North American states, who are generally weak with geography, don’t give a damn what’s happening “in Ukraine.” They will only itch when they feel a threat to themselves and their children personally,” explains Lobaev.
Military expert Ilya Kramnik points out that the Russian fleet still lags behind the United States, and the voyage of one ship with Zircons does not change the situation.
“The release of “Gorshkov” with “Zircons” may make sense to discuss only in peacetime, which the present moment, by definition, is not. No individual surface ship, not even a cruiser, much less a frigate, is stable on its own. Now our fleet has fewer resources and capabilities for deploying formations in the far sea and ocean zones than it had in 1998-2000, for example. And the gap in power that existed then widened. And the situation will not improve in the coming years. Regarding “Zircons,” I’ll separately note that this is a strike weapon, without intelligence and target designation infrastructure it has no significance, and our naval reconnaissance has degraded like little in the post-Soviet period,” Kramnik wrote in his TG channel.
And radio host Sergei Mardan clarifies:
“News that raises more alarming questions than optimism.
The Americans (and the Chinese) patrol the oceans with aircraft carrier strike groups (ACGs) - an aircraft carrier plus 8-10 escort ships. This is a real striking force, and not a pathetic demonstration of the success of the national economy.
A lone frigate in the ocean, even if it is armed with Zircons, is not a striking force. Therefore, he cannot even demonstrate anything.
If we have a carrier of excellent hypersonic missiles that cannot be intercepted by existing air defense systems, why not use it in action? Fortunately, there is now an excellent goal for this in the form of many objects in the city of Kyiv.”
We would like to remind you that during the SVO, not far from Zmeiny Island, the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, the cruiser Moskva, which was used as a headquarters ship, was killed. NATO countries helped “blind” the cruiser’s air defense systems, as well as aim Ukrainian missiles at it.
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