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Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)
Context
In an escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war, Russia fired longer-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
What is an ICBM?
- ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles) are long-range missiles designed primarily to carry nuclear warheads and can travel distances of over 3,400 miles.
- These missiles are strategic weapons used as part of a country's nuclear deterrence.
- ICBMs are powerful and difficult to intercept because they travel at extremely high speeds (up to 4,000 mph), making them challenging for defense systems like Patriot to stop.
- The use of an ICBM in this conflict is seen as escalating the war because it signals the potential use of nuclear capabilities and could lead to a broader confrontation.
The RS-26 Rubezh ICBM:
- According to reports, the missile fired at Dnipro was likely a RS-26 Rubezh, a relatively new and experimental ICBM.
- Range: The RS-26 can travel up to 5,800 km (about 3,600 miles), making it capable of reaching distant targets.
- Speed: It can reach supersonic speeds, around 4,000 mph, making it nearly impossible for current missile defense systems to intercept.
- Payload: The missile can carry a warhead weighing up to 1,200 kg, which is equivalent to three Iskander missiles.
- Challenges: The RS-26 is still in the testing phase, and its use in combat could result in inaccurate strikes and collateral damage due to the missile's unproven technology.
Russia's ICBM Arsenal:
- Russia has around 306 strategic ICBMs, capable of carrying a total of 1,185 nuclear warheads.
- Some of Russia’s ICBMs include:
- Topol-M (SS-27 Mod 1) and Yars (SS-27 Mod 2), both capable of carrying multiple warheads.
- Sarmat (SS-X-30), a new missile under development, larger and more capable than previous ones.
- Avangard, a hypersonic glide vehicle under development, designed to evade missile defenses.
- The Sarmat ICBM, also called Satan II in the West, has recently been deployed and can replace older Soviet-era missiles.
International Implications:
- The use of an ICBM by Russia in the Ukraine conflict raises fears of nuclear escalation, though this strike did not carry a nuclear warhead.
- The West, especially countries like the U.S. and NATO members, have been cautious about commenting on the use of such missiles, fearing it could worsen the conflict.
- Although the RS-26 Rubezh is part of Russia’s nuclear deterrence, its use in this conflict indicates the possibility of further escalationif tensions increase.
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