The Russian navy launched a Zircon hypersonic missile at a simulated target in the Barents Sea as part of its ongoing "Zapad 2025" joint exercise, the Russian military reported on Sunday.

The strike was conducted by the Admiral Golovko frigate of Russia’s Northern Fleet.

The Defense Ministry also said that Su-34 bomber crews, covered by Su-57 fighter jets, practiced a bombing strike as part of the drills.

The exercises, dubbed “Zapad 2025” (“West 2025”), are being held in Belarus and Russia and will last through Tuesday.

They are intended to showcase the close defense ties between Moscow and Minsk, as well as Russia's military might amid its ongoing conflict with neighboring Ukraine, now in its third year.

The main maneuvers are taking place in Belarus, but parts of the exercise are also being conducted on Russian territory and in the Baltic and Barents Seas.