The fact that the US has been and is escalating while leaving no way out for Russia says to me that the US doesn't want the war to end.

Hypersonic missiles are a big deal, just not in the context of Ukraine. Russia using them is just a big warning to NATO and the US that if push comes to shove they can take out all of Europe's capitals and potentially a bunch of US cities with virtually no chance for the missiles to be shot down.

Hypersonic missile use is a similar stunt to the horrible devastation in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Totally unnecessary strategically for the war, but sent a huge message to the the USSR that we have the A-bomb and they don't.