Russia conducts large-scale drills with mobile nuclear missile units

The Russian Ministry of Defense reports the start of combat maneuvers involving mobile RS-24 Yars nuclear missile launchers. These actions have been repeated several times over the past few months, with the last training taking place in July 2024.

The Russian Federation army will perform tasks with the RS-24 Yars missile launchers, including "marches over distances of 62 miles, dispersal of units with position changes, and setting up engineering equipment along with organizing camouflage." The combat exercises will occur in the Ivanovo region, northeast of Moscow.

According to the Russians, the announced actions will also include exercises aimed at combating saboteur groups. These exercises come shortly after the Russian Federation announced in July 2024 that it intends to increasingly conduct exercises involving mobile nuclear missile launchers like the Yars. The upcoming exercises will be similar in tasks to those conducted in July this year.

The Yars launchers are part of Russia's nuclear strategy, which relies on the so-called nuclear triad. This means that Putin's nuclear arsenal allows for the launching of nuclear missiles from land, sea, and air. Currently, only a few world powers, including the USA, China, India, and the Russian Federation, possess a complete nuclear triad.

The RS-24 ballistic missiles have a relatively short history. They were first launched in May 2007 and put into service three years later, in 2010. The Russian Federation plans to use them until 2050.

RS-24 Yars is a Russian intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with solid fuel capable of carrying up to six independent nuclear warheads (MIRV) with up to 300 kilotons each. The missile's range is 6,835 miles, which means it can reach nearly any place on Earth. The Yars launchers are transported by MZKT-79221 vehicles, which can reach speeds up to 28 mph and travel 311 miles on a single journey.

The RS-24 Yars missiles have an approximate length of 59 feet, extending to 75 feet with the warhead. The diameter of these intercontinental missiles, which have a launch mass of 101,400 pounds, is about 6.2 feet. The missile's accuracy is ensured by a combination of inertial guidance and the GLONASS system, with a CEP (Circular Error Probable) of 820 feet.