Russian Kalibr cruise missile sightings: Fishermen capture low‑altitude flights

Russians continuously conduct missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, with one of the main means being the 3M14 Kalibr cruise missile. These are launched from the Black Sea and have become a common sight for local fishermen. Here's what they can do.

An interesting 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 toward Ukraine.

The 3M14 Kalibr missiles, along with the Ch-101 missiles launched from airplanes, make up a large part of the Russian missile attacks on cities, including Kyiv. They are often supplemented by less numerous ballistic missiles, which significantly complicates the work of Ukrainian air defense. It must simultaneously combat two types of threats with drastically different characteristics.

The 3M14 Kalibr cruise missiles can reach approximately 1,550 miles and were initially adapted for launching from surface ships and submarines. However, a land variant launched from the Iskander system also appeared over time.

The 3M14 Kalibr, measuring just over 20 feet in length, is a winged missile equipped with a turbojet engine. These missiles are adapted to fly at an altitude of a few meters above the ground or water surface, which is visible in the video. This is crucial for evading air defenses, considering their low cruising speed of about Mach 0.8 (590 mph).

The missiles contain a conventional warhead weighing about 990 pounds, but they can also carry a thermonuclear warhead. A guidance system based on inertial and satellite navigation ensures the precise delivery to the target, providing accuracy in a few to several meters if the satellite signal is not jammed.