Russia's Avangard hypersonic missile is prepared to be loaded into the launch silo. (Source: Reuters)

According to the article, this missile can be fired from outside the earth's atmosphere and its speed will reach 9.5 km/s. At the same time, it is noted that this is the only weapon of its kind and no air defense system can stop it.

“The weapon, previously called a “meteorite” by President Vladimir Putin, could be launched from outside the Earth’s atmosphere and strike multiple targets anywhere in the world in less than 30 minutes,” the article said.

The Avangard air defense system is equipped with a hypersonic guided warhead, launched by the UR-100N UTTH/RS-28 intercontinental ballistic missile. Such weapons are intended for missile defense.

Earlier, it was reported that in the Orenburg region, the Yasnensk missile brigade was re-equipped with the Avangard missile system.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Russia's main missile formation in Orenburg is being comprehensively rearmed with modern Avangard missiles. The new missiles will completely replace the old weapons that the unit currently operates.

On November 16, Russia released a video of its missile forces loading an intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle, capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, onto a launch pad in the south of the country. The video showed a ballistic missile being transported, slowly raised to a vertical position, and lowered into a launch silo in the Orenburg region near Kazakhstan.

Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle in 2018, saying the weapon was Moscow's response to the US developing a new generation of weapons.

The Avangard is essentially a hypersonic glide vehicle mounted on a rocket-powered launch vehicle.

Russian media say that Avangard appears to have begun development in the mid-1980s and the first test was conducted in 2004. All information about the missile was top secret until Russia revealed its existence.