According to Ukrainian reports, Russian forces are preparing to launch an RS-26 intercontinental ballistic missile from the Kapustyn Yar missile site near the Caspian Sea.
Ukrainian observers have also noticed a significant increase in the number of Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers of the Russian Air Force at the bases in the European part of the country, bringing the total of such aircraft near the Ukrainian border to 29, reports Magyar Nemzet.
The RS-26 was created as part of the modernization of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces. It is typically multi-target capable, including the ability to destroy credible targets up to 6,000 kilometers away.
The missile has a mobile launch station that allows for rapid deployment and concealment, making it more difficult for enemy forces to detect and neutralize.
Its predecessor, the RS-24 Jarsz, a Russian intercontinental ballistic missile with thermonuclear weapons, was first successfully test-launched on May 29, 2007, in a secret military program. It can carry several warheads, including nuclear warheads, that can be controlled independently of each other, meaning it can destroy several targets at the same time.
Air defenses have been alerted four times in the past 24 hours in Kyiv, reflecting the panic in the city. The reports coincide with U.S. intelligence reports of significant Russian military activity, raising tensions along the Ukraine-Russia border and concerns about the threat of a possible large-scale attack.
After U.S. President Joe Biden gave permission to Ukraine to fire American-made ATACMS long-range missiles at Russia, the world has been waiting for Putin’s response. Russia has been clear that such a move could trigger a world war.
