Russia flexes nuclear muscle: Yars missile drills near NATO
The Russian Ministry of Defence announced on Friday, 18th October, that it has commenced exercises with RS-24 Yars launchers in the Tver region (approximately 145 kilometres from the NATO border), according to the Defence Romania portal. The army plans to carry out field operations with Russia's nuclear weapons.
"Strategic missilemen conduct tasks and practise scenarios, including intensive manoeuvring on combat patrol routes," reads the statement from the Russian ministry.
Yars will cover 100 kilometres
The crews responsible for operating the Yars will move along a route up to 100 kilometres in length, where soldiers will practise, among other things, camouflage and machine protection. Additionally, the crews will train to repel enemy air raids, reconnaissance groups, and diversions. The mission's main objective involving the Yars launchers is to assess the effectiveness of commanding a large combat unit and managing service operations. The ministry indicates that the inspection committee will review, among other factors, the unit's adherence to procedures during task execution. It's important to mention that these exercises involving the Yars missile system are supplementary and are being conducted in 2024.
The deployment of Russian Yars nuclear launchers is part of Russia's nuclear deterrence strategy. However, deploying the complexes along patrol routes does not mean the RS-24 Yars will be put into active combat service.
RS-24 Yars launchers
The RS-24 Yars is a significant component of Russia's nuclear triad, which includes the capability to launch missiles from land, sea, and air. The nuclear triad is a military strategy that ensures Russia maintains its nuclear deterrent capabilities and flexibility in responding to potential threats. Only a few countries, including the USA, China, and India, possess a full nuclear triad.
The RS-24 Yars missile measures 23 metres in length with the warhead and has a diameter of 1.9 metres. Its launch weight is 45,800 kilograms. Thanks to the combination of inertial guidance and GLONASS, the accuracy of the RS-24 Yars missile is established at 250 metres CEP. The range of the RS-24 Yars is 11,000 kilometres, meaning it can reach almost any place worldwide. The launcher carrier is the MZKT-79221 vehicle, which can reach up to 45 kilometres per hour and cover up to 500 kilometres in a single trip.
