Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the launch of a new nuclear submarine equipped with Zircon hypersonic missiles in Murmansk yesterday.

The submarine is named Perm, after the city in the Urals, and is the first to be armed with the Zircon hypersonic missiles, which have a range of up to 1,000 kilometers and fly nine times faster than sound.

“We continue to produce modern missile submarines, this is the fifth submarine under the Yasen-M project. We expect that next year the submarine will be part of the Navy and will perform combat missions,” Putin noted.

He announced the strengthening of the Russian Navy and equipping it with the most modern weapons, technology and communications systems.

These submarines and ships will further strengthen our fleet, enhance the security of Russia’s maritime borders, and ensure the protection of the Northern Sea Route. This will help preserve Russia’s national interests in various parts of the World Ocean, including the Arctic, which today has exceptional economic, logistical, and strategic importance in the context of increased global competition. We will continue to do everything to reliably protect Russia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and consolidate its status as a leading maritime power, Putin noted.