Vladimir Putin’s missile supremo has taunted the West by claiming a key military regiment has been armed with the nuclear-capable hypersonic missile system Avangard – which the Russian President has dubbed “the meteorite”. Colonel-General Sergey Karakayev, Putin’s commander of strategic forces, bragged that his country’s nuclear forces are in a state of “high readiness to perform tasks”.
Speaking as tensions continue to rise over Ukraine since last year’s invasion, Karakayev said: “Continuous combat duty in special mode has been organised.”
Footage showed an intercontinental ballistic missile being loaded into a silo launcher at the Avangard- equipped 13th Missile Division of the Strategic Missile Forces, Yasny formation in the Orenburg region.
This came as Karakayev announced Russia will stage seven intercontinental ballistic launches in 2024, as flight tests of new missile systems or training exercises. The number exceedes the average of four launches over the last five years.
This came as Karakayev announced Russia will stage seven intercontinental ballistic launches in 2024, as flight tests of new missile systems or training exercises. The number exceedes the average of four launches over the last five years.
Avangard delivers missiles to targets at 27 times the speed of sound. The complex with a hypersonic glide vehicle is fired outside the Earth’s atmosphere before striking multiple targets in the world – in less than 30 minutes.
It is the only weapon of its kind in the world and Putin says the West possesses no means to stop it.
Separately, new footage was released of month-long drills with Yars nuclear-capable missile troops which will continue throughout Christmas and New Year. One thousand strategic missile troops and 100-plus pieces of equipment are being sent on the major exercises in Ivanovo region.
Karakayev boasted that new-generation missile systems now account for 88 per cent of the total with Russia ready to challenge the West. He declared: “The current state of the Strategic Missile Forces is characterised by high readiness to perform tasks..
“The capabilities of weapons, military and special equipment are increasing. The troop and weapon control system consistently demonstrates its reliability. Continuous combat duty in special mode has been organised.”
Prior to Sunday’s Strategic Missile Forces Day in Russia, Karakayev said: “In 2023, about 80 new main types weapons and military equipment were delivered to the Strategic Missile Forces as part of the government’s defence contracts. This made it possible to complete an upgrade of three missile regiments with Yars and Avangard missile systems.
“This means the proportion of the latest missile systems in the Strategic Missile Forces battlegroup has reached 88 percent. Seven launches are planned for 2024.”
In another show of strength, footage shows the first simultaneous flight of seven An-124-100 Ruslan super-heavy military transport aircraft during drills. The strategic airlifter planes flew at 13,000 ft.
Speaking to Express.co.uk in 2019, the year the first missile regiment armed with the Avangard officially entered combat duty, Douglas Barrie, senior fellow for military aerospace with the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) said: “These weapons won’t change the way war is waged. But they will cut down on the time taken to get to a target, and the decision time for any attempt to engage or otherwise respond.”
“Intercepting hypersonic cruise missiles is demanding but not impossible. High-speed surface-to-air missiles coupled with radars optimised to locate and support engagement of this class of weapons needs further development.”
Mr Barrie added: “There have been suggestions that an arms treaty could be used to curtail the acquisition of such systems, but the environment for arms control at the moment is challenging. Hypersonic glide vehicles and hypersonic cruise are dual capable – that is either conventional or nuclear payloads.”
