The Russian Navy launched a Zircon hypersonic missile against a simulated target in the Barents Sea, as part of the joint exercise “Zapad 2025”, reported the Russian Ministry of Defense on Sunday. The attack was carried out by the Freate Admiral Golovko of the North Russian fleet. The Ministry of Defense has also announced that the crews of the Su-34 bombers, protected by the Su-57 combat jets, simulated an air attack during the exercises. The maneuvers, called “Zapad 2025” (“West 2025”), are taking place in Belarus and Russia. The main objective of these exercises is to show the defensive links between Moscow and Minsk, as well as the military power of Russia, in the context of the current conflict with Ukraine, which has lasted for three years now. The main maneuvers are taking place in Belarus, but some parts of the exercise are also taking place in Russian territory and in the Baltic seas and Barents.