The Russians have an impressive missile array—effective for both strategic and tactical attacks, in either conventional or nuclear configurations.
Russia’s recent attack against Kyiv—intended as retaliation for Ukraine’s “Operation Spiderweb,” a dramatic drone attack on poorly protected airfields deep inside Russia’s interior—was executed with a variety of drones and missiles. That Russia should employ a variety of missiles in the attack is no surprise: the Kremlin possesses one of the world’s most extensive and diverse missile arsenals. In evaluating how to strike Kyiv, Russia has a full spectrum of options, with everything from short-range tactical missiles to intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
Surveying the Russian Missile Arsenal
When people consider the Russian missile threat, they likely recall the Cold War and the prospect of long-range ICBMs, launched from Russia, striking targets within America. Indeed, the ICBM comprises the backbone of Russia’s strategic nuclear force, with a range of many thousands of kilometers.
Russia has multiple ICBM options, including the RS-24 Yard, a mobile or silo-based MIRV capable ICBM with an 11,000-km range; the RS-28 Sarmat, a heavy ICBM designed to evade missile defense, with an 18,000-km range; and the Topol-M, a single warhead, road-mobile or silo-based ICBM with an 11,000-km range. More impressive still is the Avangard “Hypersonic Glide Vehicle” (HGV), which can be mounted on existing ICBMs to achieve greater speeds.
Russia also has two Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs)—another fixture of American Cold War paranoia, as depicted in The Hunt for Red October. The two Russian SLBMs are the R-29RMU/RMU2, used on the Delta IV-class submarine and the RSM-56 Bulava, deployed on the Borei-class submarine. The two SLBMs have ranges in excess of 8,000 km (and up to 12,000 km in the case of the R-29RMU).
Russia also has Ground-Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM) options, used for both strategic and tactical purposes. The 9M729 is a nuclear-capable GLCM with a 2,000-2,500-km range; it notably violates the now-defunct Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty prohibiting intermediate range missiles, which both the United States and Russia withdrew from in 2019. Russia also possesses the Caliber GLCM, a versatile option that can be fired in different configurations for land-attack, anti-ship, and anti-sub operations.
Russia’s Smaller Missiles Are More Adaptable
Russia also has tactical, shorter-range options. The most prominent among these is likely the Iskander-M, believed to have been used in the recent attack on Kyiv. The Iskander-M is a mobile, road-launched system with an officially stated range of 500 km, although the actual range could be longer.
Russia is particularly far ahead of the curve with respect to its hypersonic missile systems. Capable of evading conventional missile defenses, hypersonic missiles can reach speeds in excess of Mach 8 (around 6,000 miles per hour). Russian models include the Kinzhal Kh-47M2, an air-launched ballistic missile fired from the MiG-31K or Tu-22M3 aircraft with a range of 2,000 km, and the Zircon, a ship- and submarine-launched missile with a range of 1,000 km.
Finally, the Russians possess Air-Launched Cruise Missiles (ALCMs), some of which were used in the recent Kyiv attack. Examples include the Kh-101 and Kh-102, which are conventional and nuclear variants, respectively, of the same model—each with a 4,500-5,500-km range. The Kh-101 is an evolution of the Kh-55/Kh-555, an earlier model that is still in use with a 2,500-km range.
In sum, the Russians have an impressive missile array—effective for both strategic and tactical attacks, in either conventional or nuclear configurations.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a senior defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
Image: Shutterstock / Victority.
