Brazil tightens Moscow ties, eyes Russian missile purchase
Brazil has previously refused to help Ukraine, rejecting a request for support with 450 Guarani 6x6 armoured vehicles. At the time, it was said that the decision was made to avoid antagonizing Moscow, with which Brazil has trade programmes. The South American country is somewhat tightening its ties with Russia by showing interest in purchasing copies of Russian P-800 Oniks missiles.
The Brazilian authorities have recently been reluctant to support Ukraine in the conflict with Russia. This primarily concerns refusing to help with several hundred armoured vehicles Kyiv was willing to buy. Even though specific financial proposals were presented and – moreover – it was assured that the equipment would be used for humanitarian purposes, Brazil ultimately refused.
They want to buy copies of Russian Oniks missiles
Local journalists reported that Brazil's actions in rejecting Ukraine's proposal were motivated by a desire to maintain relations with the Russian Federation. According to the Ukrainian portal Defense Express, the country's authorities are still looking towards Moscow and are now interested in purchasing Oniks missiles from there. However, India, which produces a copy of this type of Russian weapon, will take part in the purchase.
"India and Brazil are intensifying efforts to strengthen defence cooperation," we read. By the end of September, the details of "a range of joint projects and mutual arms sales" should be clarified. A delegation from Brazil is set to arrive in India then to discuss, among other things, the purchase of the Oniks missiles, or BrahMos, a copy of this ammunition produced in collaboration with Russia.
This is how Russia bypasses sanctions
Defense Express notes that BrahMos missile production is essentially one way to circumvent the sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation. The production of Indian missiles is handled by a consortium in which 49.5% of the shares belong to the Russians. Selling equipment to Brazil in India will allow Moscow to gain revenue from the defence market.
The aforementioned BrahMos missile (PJ-10) is a supersonic cruise weapon designed to eliminate surface threats, such as ships. It can also strike ground targets (water-to-ground).
The propulsion of this nearly 9-meter-long and 3,000 kilogrammes missile is provided by a ramjet engine with a thrust of 40 kilonewtons, capable of accelerating the structure to a speed of Mach 2.8 or over 3,360 kilometres per hour. The range of the BrahMos missile is determined to be 120 kilometres during low-altitude flight and 290 kilometres in the case of a high-altitude strike. The precision of the strike is ensured by an autonomous (inertial) navigation system combined with radar and active-passive systems. The warhead (conventional) weighs 200 kilogrammes.
