A British-German startup developing hypersonic long-range cruise missiles that could strike deep inside Russia has received significant funding, the company has said.

Hypersonica has raised €100 million (£83.5m) in its efforts to develop the deep-strike missiles to strengthen Europe’s defence against a growing Russian threat, the Financial Times reported, coming at a crucial moment as Washington urges the continent to be more responsible for its own security.

“The debate over whether Europe needs these kinds of deterrence capabilities is over. It’s absolutely clear we need them,” Philipp Kerth, the chief executive of the company, told the outlet.

“It’s now really a question about who can deliver those systems and that’s what the [funding round] is positioning us to do.”

A Russian Navy frigate fires a Zircon (Tsirkon) hypersonic anti-ship missile.…