Russia reveals deadly weapon it claims can destroy hypersonic missiles in space

Russia has unveiled a new missile it claims can claims can destroy all incoming hypersonic missiles including in space.

The country's defence ministry released footage of the S-500 Prometheus anti-aircraft missile system being tested.

They claim it shows the system "successfully hit" a high-speed ballistic target at Kapustin Yar near the Caspian Sea.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently said he expected the S-500 to be deployed soon, probably this year.

“Next in line is the delivery of the S-500 complex to the troops, tests of which are already being successfully completed”, he said.

It comes as Putin unveiled Moscow’s new Sukhoi fifth generation single-engine fighter jet at the 56-country MAKS-2021 aviation show.

Vladimir Putin has said the new anti-missile system could be deployed within the year (Image: Alexei Nikolsky/TASS)

Putin hopes to boost Russia's £3,670,000 ($5 billion) annual arms sales with new international contracts for military equipment.

A caption on one picture of the partly hidden plane says: “Guys, you really think we have nothing to surprise you with?”

Last month Russian forces threatened to open fire on a Royal Navy vessel in disputed waters near Crimea.

The S-500 anti-missile system is designed to attack hypersonic missiles and aircraft up to a speed of 11,875 mph as well as unmanned aerial vehicles.

Major General Sergey Babakov said the new S-500 anti-aircraft missile system can hit targets in space (Image: east2west news)

Major General Babakov, commander of Russian missile defence troops, said recently: "The S-500 air defence system is capable of destroying hypersonic weapons of all modifications, including in near space, in addition to aerodynamic and ballistic targets, which makes it possible to say with confidence that this system is unique.”

It can engage enemy ballistic missiles at a range of up to 375 miles and aircraft at about 310 miles, say the Russians.

The latest trials at Kapustin Yar range highlight the feverish pace of Russia's military modernisation which continues despite Russia's economic woes.

Russia has been occupying eastern Ukraine since it invaded the country in 2014 and annexed Crimea, prompting western sanctions.

Footage of the new anti-aircraft missile system was released by the Russian ministry of defence (Image: east2west news)

Pyotr Tolstoy, a Putin supporting Russian MP, told state-owned TV on July 13th that Ukraine would one day be part of Russia, possibly by military force.

"There will be no Ukraine,” said the United Russia lawmaker who is also deputy speaker of the Russian parliament, and a great great grandson of writer Leo Tolstoy.

“This is an historical consistency. Ukraine is part of Russia which has temporarily seceded.”

He claimed Russia could take Ukraine by force, rapidly overrunning the country and reaching the Polish border.

"We will finish everything in a week," said the United Russia MP. “We will return Kyiv to Russian people.

The Russian authorities claimed the missile system was tested successfully and hit its target (Image: east2west news) Russia unveiled its new anti-aircraft system it says can hit Western hypersonic missiles in space (Image: east2west news)

"There is no future for an independent Ukraine.”

He added: “That’s why I think that, of course, sooner or later, Ukraine will return to the Russian Federation, will become part of Russia.”

Putin himself wrote an article last week saying that Russians and Ukrainians are “one people”, and Kyiv did “not need” the industrial Donbass region that is currently controlled by pro-Kremlin groups.

His spokesman refused to rule out Russia taking over Donbass, telling journalists: "I'll leave this question unanswered.”

Recent military exercises saw Putin put more than 100,000 troops on the border of Donbass which under international law is Ukrainian territory.

Numbers were then reduced, but heavy Russian military equipment remains close to the frontier.

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