On February 12, Russian officials announced they had conducted a successful test launch of a new anti-ballistic missile interceptor. According to the deputy commander of the Air and Space Defense Alliance, Andrei Prikhodko, “The missile’s tactical and technical characteristics regarding the range, precision and operational lifetime are significantly higher compared to present-day weapons.” Reports indicate...
On February 5, Russian state-run media reported that the country has permanently deployed Iskander missiles to its Kaliningrad exclave bordering Poland and Lithuania. Russia previously deployed the advanced missile system to Kaliningrad in December 2017, a reportedly “temporary” move in response to a U.S. build up of forces in Europe. The Iskander (NATO designation: SS-26...
On January 10, Russian officials acknowledged plans to deploy a second S-400 air defense division to occupied Crimea. Vadim Astafyev, Russia’s Southern Military District spokesman, told the state-run TASS news agency that the incoming system would be placed on combat duty in Crimea “soon.” The first S-400 division was earmarked for delivery in July 2016...
On January 18, Russian state-run news agency TASS announced that Moscow has begun delivery of S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems to China. “The implementation of the contract has begun, the first shipment has been sent to China,” a source familiar with the sale told TASS. The shipment reportedly includes a control station, a radar...
On January 10, Russian officials acknowledged plans to deploy a second S-400 air defense division to occupied Crimea. Vadim Astafyev, Russia’s Southern Military District spokesman, told the state-run TASS news agency that the incoming system would be placed on combat duty in Crimea “soon.” The first S-400 division was earmarked for delivery in July 2016...
On December 26, Russian forces test fired an RS-12M Topol ICBM from the Kapustin Yar range, near the Kazakh border in western Russia. The test was reportedly designed to test features aimed at evading detection and penetrating missile defenses. “During the tests, specialists obtained experimental data that will be used in the interests of developing...
On December 29, Turkish defense officials announced the completion of a deal with Russia to acquire the S-400 air and missile defense system. Turkish news media reported that Turkey would purchase one battery of four S-400 units at a cost of $2.5 billion. The Turkish Defense Industries Undersecretariat stated that Turkey maintains the option of...
Russia has declared three new Voronezh radars operational in Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, and Altay Krais. The early warning radar system possesses a 6,000 km range, and according to Colonel General Alexander Goloyko, it is designed to “provide continuous radar monitoring of all directions vulnerable to a potential missile attack.” The addition of these three radars brings...
National Security Council official Christopher Ford revealed in a speech at the Wilson Center on November 29 that the Russian missile violating the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty is the land-based cruise missile Novator 9M729 (NATO designation: SSC-8). The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement saying that Russia is not violating the treaty,...
On November 23, the Russian Aerospace Force (VKS) successfully tested an upgraded version of the 53T6 Gazelle ballistic missile interceptor. The test was conducted at the Sary-Shagan site, located in Kazakhstan. The 53T6 is deployed in Russia’s anti ballistic missile systems protecting Moscow. Pavel Podvig, an independent Russian missile analyst, commented “Given that the launch...
