Latest news with #DefenseExpress
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
New 90-kg warheads installed on Russian Shahed drones
Russian long-range Shahed-136 drones are now being equipped with two new types of combined-effect warheads. Source: a technology and IT news platform within Ukrainska Pravda's holding company, with reference to Defense Express, citing its own sources as well as photos and descriptions of the upgraded payloads Details: One of the munition parts is manufactured in Russia and the other in Iran. Both reportedly weigh 90 kg, an increase from the standard 50 kg. The Russian-made munition part is marked with the index KOFZBCh, which stands for cumulative-fragmentation-high explosive-incendiary. It uses the same explosive compound, TGF-35P2 (a mixture of TNT and phlegmatised RDX), as the 50-kg OFZBCh-50, though the earlier version lacked a cumulative effect. The incendiary effect in the new warhead is achieved with a powder mixture of metal hydrides. The Iranian warhead also combines cumulative, fragmentation, and high-explosive effects but does not include incendiary components. It uses an explosive of the OLA type (a mixture of octane and aluminium) and features a booster charge consisting of RDX pellets. Background: Russia has been continuously upgrading the warheads used on its long-range drones. For instance, in 2024, Russian forces began using the TBBCh-50 – a 50-kg combined-effect warhead that integrates thermobaric and fragmentation effects. Its body is filled with 9-mm metal balls that serve as preformed fragmentation elements. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Miami Herald
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Russia Pulled Nuclear-Capable ICBM Launch: Report
Russia pulled a "combat training" launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) after something "went wrong," according to Ukrainian intelligence. Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) said Sunday that Moscow planned to conduct "combat training" launch of its RS-24 Yars, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that can be armed with nuclear warheads. It was expected to launch from a site near the village of Svobodny in the Sverdlovsk region of Russia, but "everything indicates that the launch simply did not happen," reported Defense Express, a Ukrainian outlet that specializes in military news. Newsweek has contacted the Kremlin for comment by email. If the test launch failed, it would serve as an embarrassing setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin. In September 2024, his feared Satan 2 nuclear arsenal was reported to have failed four out of five missile tests. The GUR claimed that the missile launch was ordered to be conducted by the crew of the 433rd regiment of the 42nd division of the 31st Army of Russia's strategic missile forces with the purposes of intimidating Ukraine, the European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states. It added that the flight range of the three-stage solid-propellant rocket is more than 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles). But "everything indicates that it simply did not happen," Defense Express reported. According to the publication, the launch, if it happened, would most likely have been filmed or photographed by locals and subsequently shared on social media. "The Russians would also have been able to observe the missile flying," the publication said. "Given that the main Russian test site for intercontinental missiles is Kura in Kamchatka, this missile would have been visible over a large area of Siberia and the Far East, from Khanty-Mansiysk to Magadan. But no video of it has been published." The publication added: "Why the Russians did not launch remains unknown." Russian authorities didn't respond to the GUR claim, which Newsweek couldn't independently verify. Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence, in a statement on Sunday: "In order to demonstratively pressure and intimidate Ukraine, as well as EU and NATO member states, the aggressor state Russia intends to carry out a 'combat training' launch of the RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missile from the Yars complex on the night of May 19, 2025." Putin and President Donald Trump spoke by the phone on Monday as the U.S. leader continued his faltering efforts to broker peace talks in the war. Related Articles Ukraine Strikes Russia's 'Boyko Towers' in Black Sea: VideoUS Pacific Ally's Abrams Tanks Sent to Ukraine Despite Pentagon ConcernsWho Is Nicușor Dan? Romania's Liberal Centrist Mayor Sweeps to VictoryPutin's Trump Card in Ukraine 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Russia Pulled Nuclear-Capable ICBM Launch: Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Russia pulled a "combat training" launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) after something "went wrong," according to Ukrainian intelligence. Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) said Sunday that Moscow planned to conduct "combat training" launch of its RS-24 Yars, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that can be armed with nuclear warheads. It was expected to launch from a site near the village of Svobodny in the Sverdlovsk region of Russia, but "everything indicates that the launch simply did not happen," reported Defense Express, a Ukrainian outlet that specializes in military news. Newsweek has contacted the Kremlin for comment by email. Why It Matters If the test launch failed, it would serve as an embarrassing setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin. In September 2024, his feared Satan 2 nuclear arsenal was reported to have failed four out of five missile tests. An RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile system drives across Red Square during Russia's Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 9, 2025. An RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile system drives across Red Square during Russia's Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 9, 2025. KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images What To Know The GUR claimed that the missile launch was ordered to be conducted by the crew of the 433rd regiment of the 42nd division of the 31st Army of Russia's strategic missile forces with the purposes of intimidating Ukraine, the European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states. It added that the flight range of the three-stage solid-propellant rocket is more than 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles). But "everything indicates that it simply did not happen," Defense Express reported. According to the publication, the launch, if it happened, would most likely have been filmed or photographed by locals and subsequently shared on social media. "The Russians would also have been able to observe the missile flying," the publication said. "Given that the main Russian test site for intercontinental missiles is Kura in Kamchatka, this missile would have been visible over a large area of Siberia and the Far East, from Khanty-Mansiysk to Magadan. But no video of it has been published." The publication added: "Why the Russians did not launch remains unknown." Russian authorities didn't respond to the GUR claim, which Newsweek couldn't independently verify. What People Are Saying Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence, in a statement on Sunday: "In order to demonstratively pressure and intimidate Ukraine, as well as EU and NATO member states, the aggressor state Russia intends to carry out a 'combat training' launch of the RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missile from the Yars complex on the night of May 19, 2025." What Happens Next Putin and President Donald Trump spoke by the phone on Monday as the U.S. leader continued his faltering efforts to broker peace talks in the war.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia reportedly fails to launch intercontinental ballistic missile to intimidate Ukraine and NATO as planned
The Defense Express media outlet has reported that Russia did not launch an RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile on the night of 18-19 May, as warned by Defence Intelligence of Ukraine. Source: Defense Express Details: It is noted that if the launch had taken place, it would have been highly likely filmed by locals and made public. "The Russians would also have been able to observe the missile flying. Given that the main Russian test site for intercontinental missiles is Kura in Kamchatka, this missile would have been visible over a large area of Siberia and the Far East, from Khanty-Mansiysk to Magadan. But no video of it has been published," the media outlet says. Why the Russians did not carry out the launch remains unknown. However, Defense Express reiterated that in 2023, the Russian Federation failed twice in a row to successfully launch RS-24 Yars missiles, which veered off course. "After all, any missile undergoes pre-flight checks, and it is unlikely that the Kremlin is interested in demonstrating the inefficiency of its nuclear deterrent forces ahead of the talks between Putin and Trump," the article states. Defense Express also does not rule out an abnormal situation during the first stage of flight immediately after launch – despite the fact that the Yars is a deeply modernised version of the Topol, there is always a risk of failure. For example, at the end of September 2024, an RS-28 Sarmat exploded in a launch silo at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia. For reference: Yars, or RS-24, is a strategic system based on a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile. It was adopted by the Russian Federation in 2009. The system is equipped with a separable warhead, which can have three to six warheads, depending on the modification. Each warhead can hit a different target. The missile's flight speed is reportedly up to 14 Mach, and its explosive power is equivalent to a million tonnes. Propagandists claim that no missile defence system is capable of shooting it down and that a Yars warhead can completely destroy a small city. Background: Prior to this, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine warned that on the night of 18-19 May, Russia was planning to carry out a demonstrative training and combat launch of the RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile. On the evening of 9 May, the US Embassy in Ukraine called on its citizens to be cautious due to the risk of a large-scale airstrike "in the coming days". It later became known that Russia would close the airspace over the Kapustin Yar missile training ground for two days, 12 and 13 May, for the possible launch of ballistic missiles. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukrainian Air Force shows programmer behind first interception of a Kinzhal missile
Ukraine's Air Force has released a video featuring the operator of a Patriot air defence system who shot down a Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missile over Kyiv on 4 May 2023 – the first successful interception of such a missile. Source: Ukrainian Air Force Details: The operator's surname is not disclosed; only his first name – Dmytro – is mentioned. He appears in the video with half of his face covered. Quote from Dmytro: "When the war began, I joined the military. I never thought that I, a simple programmer, would master the Patriot system and shoot down a Kinzhal missile." More details: Dmytro explained that he and his colleagues did not initially know that it was a Kinzhal missile targeting Kyiv. Quote: "At that moment, we could see on the screen that it was a ballistic missile, but we initially thought it was just an Iskander. Only after we found the fragments did we realise it was a Kinzhal. Everyone was overjoyed, we congratulated each other. Russia had claimed that the Kinzhal was impossible to intercept, but it turned out that anything can be shot down… This was the first time a Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missile had been intercepted." Background: During the night of 4 May 2023, a Kh-47 Kinzhal hypersonic missile was successfully intercepted over Kyiv for the first time. The news was first reported by Defense Express on 5 May and confirmed by Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of Ukraine's Air Force, on 6 May. It was later revealed that the Kinzhal was destroyed by anti-aircraft gunners from the 96th Brigade, who had undergone less than three months of training. On 16 May, they reinforced their success by shooting down six more such missiles. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
