The missiles Russia is launching in its alarming drills
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February 19, 2022 3:53pm
Russia says it test-launched ballistic and cruise missiles
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Russia flexed its nuclear muscle Saturday with a
at the same time it continued denying that it is preparing to invade Ukraine.
The wargames by Russia’s strategic nuclear forces involved launches from land, ships, submarines and planes that struck targets on land and at sea, the Kremlin said.
Russia’s state-owned RIA news agency aired footage showing a split screen of various senior military leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who ordered the drills to begin. Putin observed from what the Kremlin called a “situation center,” accompanied by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, a key ally.
Footage shows a Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile being launched on Feb. 19, 2022.Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS
A Kinzhal ballistic missile is capable of firing a target from 1,500 miles away.Russian Defence Ministry/AFP via Getty Images
Russia plans to end its missile drills on Sunday.Russian Defence Ministry/AFP via
A Russian Iskander-K missile is launched during a training exercise.Russian Defence Ministry/AFP via Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered multiple missile drills.EPA
Here’s a rundown on the types of missiles Russia showed off in the drills:
Yars intercontinental ballistic missile
Russia’s Defense Ministry said it fired two intercontinental ballistic missiles — one from a site in northwest Russia and the second from a submarine in the Barents Sea. They hit targets thousands of miles away in the far east peninsula of Kamchatka.
President Joe Biden says he was “convinced” that Russian President Vladimir Putin would order his troops to invade Ukraine within days.EPA
A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile lets off heavy black smoke after being launched.Russian Defence Ministry/AFP via Getty Images
Russia has multiple models of the Yars missile, which can carry multiple warheads and travel more than 6,500 miles.
Kalibr cruise missiles
Launched by ships and submarines from the Northern and Black Sea Fleets, the Kalibr is a long-range cruise-missile similar to the US Tomahawk that can strike targets up to 1,500 miles away.
There are over a dozen different variants of the weapon that may be launched from land, submarines, ships and aircraft,
, a foreign-policy-focused magazine.
A Russian air force fighter jet drops a Kinzhal hypersonic cruise missile during an exercise.AP
A Russian submarine fires an anti-ship missile out in the sea.EPA
A Russian Tupolev Tu-95MS bomber aircraft flies during a strategic exercise.Russian Defence Ministry/AFP via
Russian media showed off a Tu-95MS bomber aircraft.Russian Defence Ministry/AFP via Getty Images
Zircon hypersonic missiles
Also launched from ships, the Zircon can reportedly travel 4,600 miles per hour — five times the speed of sound — and is believed to have a range of 250 miles,
.
Believed to be more accurate than traditional ballistic missiles, Russia
.
Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missiles
A Kinzhal is an air-launched ballistic missile that reportedly travels at Mach 10, or over 7,500 mph and can reach targets up to 1,500 miles away.
The Yars intercontinental ballistic missile can travel more than 6,500 miles.EPA
Smoke and flame rise over the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus as Russian forces launch missiles.AP
Multiple Russian combat helicopters fire projectiles during a military exercise in Belarus on Feb. 19, 2022.EPA
An intercontinental “Yar” ballistic missile is launched at the Kura training ground in Russia on Feb. 19, 2022.EPA
A Russian frigate fires a Tsirkon hypersonic missile during an exercise drill on Feb. 19, 2022.via REUTERS
Russian media shows a nuclear submarine sailing during missile exercises.Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS
The Kremlin claims the exercises are part of a regular training process and denied they signal an escalation of the standoff with Western nations over Ukraine. None of their footage could be independently corroborated
The drills are due to end on Sunday.
