The Russian Armed Forces test fired SLBM, ICBM and nuclear-capable cruise missiles as part of Nuclear drills on Wednesday. Russian President Vladimir Putin himself monitored drills of the country’s strategic nuclear forces. This type of nuclear drills exercise is seen as a show of force by Russia, amid the heightened tensions with the Western Countries over the conflict in Ukraine.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to President Vladimir Putin about the success of the nuclear drills, he said that the exercise was intended to simulate a massive nuclear strike by Russia in retaliation for a nuclear attack on Russia.
In the nuclear drills, yesterday, russia test fired RS-24 Yars thermonuclear warheads equipped land-based intercontinental ballistic missile from the northern Plesetsk launch site, this launch site is located about 800 km north of Moscow and is controlled by Russian Space Forces.
Along with the successful launch of the RS-24 Yars, a russian navy nuclear-powered submarine of the Russian Navy Northern Fleet, the submarine K-114, a Delta IV-class SSBN fired a Sineva SLBM from the Barents Sea at the Kura firing range on the far-eastern Kamchatka Peninsula.
This nuclear submarine has the capability to carry 16 units of R-29RMU2 Sineva liquid-fueled submarine-launched ballistic missiles. These missiles has the range of 8,300 km.
As part of this exercise, the Russian Bear, Tupolev Tu-95 Strategic Bombers also launched some cruise missiles at practice targets.
The nuclear drills were successful and all launched missiles completed their tasks.
Detailed Information about the RS-24 Yars Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
The RS-24 Yars or Topol, is a Russian MIRV-equipped, thermonuclear armed intercontinental ballistic missile first tested on May 29, 2007, after a secret military R&D project.
RS-24 is a missile that is heavier than the current SS-27 Mod 1 (Topol-M), and which some reports say can carry up to 10 independently targetable warheads. The 2007 tests were publicized as a response to the missile shield that the United States were planning to deploy in Europe. RS-24 has been deployed operationally since 2010, with more than 50 launchers operational as of June 2017.
The Missile is in service with the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces since July 2010, the missile is designed and produced by Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology and Votkinsk Machine Building Plant.
The Missile has the weight of 49,600 kg and a length of 23 meters. It is equipped with a at least 3-6 MIRVs with 300—500 kiloton warheads,or 6-9 150 kiloton warheads.
The missile has the operational range of 11,000 km (6,800 mi) to 12,000 km (7,500 mi) with the maximum speed of over Mach 20 (24,500 km/h; 15,200 mph; 6,810 m/s). The missile has a very high degree of accuracy with 150 m of CEP.