Missiles over the Black Sea: Fishermen capture Russian attack
Russians continuously conduct missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, with one of the main means being the 3M14 Kalibr cruise missiles. The Russians launch these from the Black Sea, and they have become a common sight for local fishermen. Here is what they can do.
An exciting video appeared online, made by fishermen during a catch on the Black Sea, showing a pair of 3M14 Kalibr cruise missiles flying at low altitude towards Ukraine.
The 3M14 Kalibr missiles, along with the Kh-101 missiles launched from airplanes, constitute a significant part of Russian missile attacks on cities, including Kyiv. They are often supplemented by less numerous ballistic missiles, which significantly complicates the work of Ukrainian air defence, as it must simultaneously combat two types of threats with drastically different characteristics.
3M14 Kalibr cruise missiles - the long arm of the Russian Black Sea Fleet
The 3M14 Kalibr cruise missiles can reach up to approximately 2,500 kilometers and be initially adapted for launching from surface ships and submarines; however, over time, a land variant launched from the Iskander system also appeared.
The 3M14 Kalibr, measuring just over 6 metres in length, is structurally a winged missile equipped with a turbojet engine. It is adapted to fly at an altitude of a few metres above the ground or water surface, which is clearly visible in the video. This is a crucial aspect in evading air defences, considering its low cruising speed of about Mach 0.8 (950 km/h).
The missiles contain a conventional warhead weighing about 450 kilograms, but they can also carry a thermonuclear warhead. A guidance system based on inertial and satellite navigation ensures precise delivery to the target, providing accuracy in the range of a few to several metres if the satellite signal is not jammed.
