Russia escalates deterrence with Yars missile exercises
The Russian Ministry of Defence announced on Friday, October 18, that it had begun 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 conduct field missions for Russia's nuclear weapons.
"Strategic missile units will perform introductory missions, which include conducting intensive manoeuvres on combat patrol routes," reads the statement from the Russian ministry.
Nuclear 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, masking and machine protection. Additionally, the crews will train to repel enemy air raids, reconnaissance groups, and diversions. The mission's main task involving the Yars launchers is to assess the effectiveness of commanding a large combat unit and managing service operations. "The inspection committee will check, among other things, the consistency of units' actions during task execution," the ministry states. It should be added that these are further exercises involving the Yars, which are taking place in 2024.
The deployment of Russian Yars nuclear launchers is part of Russia's nuclear deterrence strategy. However, sending the complexes out on 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 element of Russia's nuclear triad, which includes the capabilities of launching 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 46,000 kilograms. Thanks to a 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, which means it can reach almost any place in the world. The launcher carrier is the MZKT-79221 vehicle, which can reach speeds of up to 45 kilometres per hour and can cover up to 500 kilometres in a single trip.
