KRONSHTADT, June 23. /TASS/. The Bastion coastal defense missile system with the Oniks supersonic missile has shown high efficiency in striking ground targets in Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, a source close to the Defense Ministry told TASS on the sidelines of the International Maritime Defense Show 2023 on Friday.

"At the initial stage of the special military operation, several dozens of Oniks missiles were employed against enemy targets. They confirmed the system’s high efficiency," the source said, noting that the Russian Defense Ministry had numerously reported about the combat use of Bastion coastal defense missile systems.

The Bastion coastal defense missile system designed by the Research and Production Association of Machine-Building (part of Tactical Missiles Corporation) based in Reutovo outside Moscow was first employed against terrorist ground targets during Russia’s military operation in Syria, he said.

The Bastion was initially designed as an anti-ship missile system. During the Syria military campaign, it began to be employed to strike militants’ radio-contrast ground targets, the source said.

According to data from open sources, the Bastion coastal defense missile system is capable of engaging targets at a range of about 500 km and work is currently underway to increase the flight range of the system’s missiles.

The International Maritime Defense Show 2023 is running in Kronshtadt west of St. Petersburg on June 21-25. The maritime defense show has been organized by Russia’s Industry and Trade Ministry. For the first time, the Naval Glory Museum and the Congress and Exhibition Center on the premises of the Island of Forts tourist and recreational cluster have been chosen as the venue for the International Maritime Defense Show. The exposition of shipbuilding companies and enterprises has brought together over 250 leading Russian and foreign participants. TASS is a strategic media partner of the International Maritime Defense Show 2023.