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Newsweek
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Russia Redeploys Nuclear-Tipped Air-to-Air Missiles in Echo of Cold War
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 is adding nuclear-tipped air-to-air missiles to its weapons inventory, according to the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). The new missile is reminiscent of weapons used by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, with the latest version designed to be used by Russia's MiG and Sukhoi fighter jets. Newsweek has contacted the Kremlin for comment by email. Why It Matters The development comes as tensions between Russia and the West are at their highest level since the Cold War as a result of President Vladimir Putin's decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The War Zone, an online military magazine, notes that while nuclear-armed air-to-air missiles were part of the Soviet Union's arsenal during the Cold War, little is known about their current status within Russia's Aerospace Forces (VKS), which "makes the disclosure from [the Defense Intelligence Agency] intelligence all the more intriguing." Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen in Sirius, Russia, on May 19, 2025. Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen in Sirius, Russia, on May 19, 2025. Contributor/Getty Images What To Know Hans Kristensen, the director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) think tank, said on X (formerly Twitter) that he'd heard rumors for years that Russia was redeploying nuclear-tipped air-to-air missiles, but the "weapon was mysteriously not included in DOD pubs since 2018." The DIA's 2025 Worldwide Threat Assessment, published on May 11 said Russia is "expanding its nuclear forces by adding new capabilities, including nuclear air-to-air missiles and novel nuclear systems." Nuclear-armed air-to-air missiles were originally intended for use against formations of bombers during the Cold War. Such formations are not as relevant now "but not having to get within the blast-fragmentation range of a missile warhead to take down a target could be seen as advantageous in the modern era, possibly against stealthy aircraft that can be detected but are hard to lock up, especially by a small radar on a missile during its terminal attack phase," according to The War Zone. Another possibility is that nuclear-armed air-to-air missiles could be used to counter swarms of drones or waves of cruise missiles. Russia maintains a nuclear stockpile of about 1,550 deployed strategic warheads and up to 2,000 non-strategic warheads, the assessment said. Russia is expanding its nuclear posture to its neighbor and ally Belarus by establishing missile and nuclear-capable aircraft capabilities, renovating a nuclear weapons storage site, and training Belarusian crews to handle tactical nuclear weapons, the DIA said. "Throughout the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia has used nuclearrelated rhetoric and military exercises to signal its resolve and deter Russia-perceived Western involvement in the conflict," it added. Russia has ramped up its nuclear threats throughout the war, with the most recent warning coming from Sergei Shoigu, secretary of Russia's Security Council, in April. Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons if it faces aggression from Western nations, he told Kremlin newswire Tass. Shoigu, who was replaced as defense minister in 2024 after holding the position for 12 years, cited amendments made to Russia's nuclear doctrine in November. He said it allows Russia to "use nuclear weapons in the event of aggression against it or the Republic of Belarus, including with the use of conventional weapons." "In the event of foreign states committing unfriendly actions that pose a threat to the sovereignty and territory integrity of the Russian Federation, our country considers it legitimate to take symmetric and asymmetric measures necessary to suppress such actions and prevent their recurrence," Shoigu warned. The DIA report said, however, that Russia is very unlikely to use nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war "unless Russian leadership judged it faced an existential threat to the regime." What People Are Saying Russian President Vladimir Putin said in December that the Kremlin reserves the right to use nuclear weapons against any country that poses a threat to Russia or Belarus. "When we are talking about certain military dangers that can develop into new threats, we are talking about increasing the responsibility of non-nuclear states that can participate in aggression against Russia, alongside nuclear-capable countries," he said. "And if such countries pose a threat to us, we reserve the right to use our nuclear weapons against them. "We have announced that if the same threats are made against our ally, Belarus, we will do everything to ensure the security of Belarus. And I think this is a very important component of the updated nuclear doctrine." What Happens Next Developments suggest Moscow could be gearing up for a potential face off with NATO. Russia is expanding its troop presence along stretches of its western border, ramping up its military spending at a record pace and intensifying covert operations against the West. Meanwhile, intelligence and military officials have warned that NATO member states must be ready for a potential conflict with Russia.
Express Tribune
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PM asks India to bury the hatchet
Prime Minster Shehbaz Sharif, three services chiefs and other senior officials listen to the national anthem at a Youm-e-Tashakkur ceremony in Islamabad. PHOTO: EXPRESS Listen to article Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called upon India to bury the hatchet and live as a peaceful neighbour, as he joined the nationwide Youm-e-Tashakur celebrations of Pakistan's decisive victory over India in Marka-e-Haq. Speaking at a ceremony held at the Pakistan Monument, the prime minister said that Pakistan and India should come to the negotiating table and resolve the issue of Jammu and Kashmir for sustainable peace in the region. He said that Pakistan wanted to live as a peaceful neighbour, adding that it was up to the two countries to become peaceful neighbours or act otherwise. "Pakistan and India fought three wars but achieved nothing," he said adding, "We should talk about Kashmir issue, trade and terrorism." He recounted that Pakistan had lost 90,000 people in the war against terrorism, besides enduring economic losses worth $150 billion." He said Youm-e-Tashakur was a unique moment in the history as the nation celebrated the success of Pakistan's armed forces against India. This moment came after a heart-breaking incident faced by Pakistan 50 years ago in 1971, he added. The prime minister said that during Marka-e-Haq, millions of Pakistanis were praying for the success of the brave officers and personnel of the navy, air force and army so that the enemy could never cast an evil eye towards Pakistan. The prime minister said that India had unleashed baseless propaganda against Pakistan about the Pahalgam incident. He noted that India rejected the offer for an investigation at an international level about the Pahalagam incident and attacked Pakistan and martyred children, youth and mothers. The enemy attacked inside Pakistan and in response Pakistan shot down six planes of India, including MiG and Rafale jets and smashed the enemy's desire to impose regional hegemony, he continued. The prime minister said that in the night between May 9 and 10, India fired missiles in different areas of Pakistan, adding after getting his approval, the chief of army staff responded with an attack on airbases and military infrastructure of India. During the whole situation, the military leadership was in contact with him, he recalled. In a few hours, Pakistan gave a befitting response to India which was a surprise for friends and foes alike, he added. After the successful attack, he said, the army chief went ahead to accept ceasefire offer from India. India spent billions of dollars to stockpile weapons to impose its regional hegemony and was confident about its superiority in the battlefield but Pakistan crushed its false vanity, he remarked. He said during the whole situation, the nation from Peshawar to Karachi was united and stood shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces. He said that Pakistan was created after hundreds of thousands of people sacrificed their lives in 1947 and mounted a great struggle for independence. "Now, we have to achieve great status among the comity of the nations. Now the nation will have to make economic progress by utilising the resources available. Pakistan is endowed with immense talent and human resources," he stressed. He thanked the brotherly and friendly countries including United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States for supporting Pakistan. He also thanked US President Donald Trump for his efforts to restore peace in the region. He said Pakistan could not have successfully defended itself without the professional expertise and preparedness of the armed forces. He thanked Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf for their leadership during Marka-e-Haq. Federal ministers, services chiefs, high ranking military and civil officials and prominent people from all walks of life attended the event.
Express Tribune
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Who was Adnan Sami's father? Azaan shares 1965 PAF war video
Listen to article Pakistani singer and actor Azaan Sami Khan has shared a video of his late grandfather, Squadron Leader Arshad Sami Khan, highlighting the valour of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) officers during the 1965 war with India. The resurfaced black-and-white footage, originally filmed during the conflict, features Arshad Sami Khan and other PAF officers giving interviews about their combat experiences. In the video, the officers describe how they downed multiple Indian MiG fighter jets, stating they 'dropped like small birds.' They claimed that between nine and ten enemy aircraft were destroyed during air engagements, and firmly denied Indian reports of downing any Pakistani planes. The clip has since gone viral across Pakistan, especially in light of the country's recent military exchange with India. As tensions escalated following India's Operation Sindoor, which included missile strikes in Pakistan, Islamabad responded by shooting down six Indian aircraft and drones, including Rafale jets. The resurfacing of the 1965 footage has been interpreted by many on social media as a symbolic continuation of Pakistan's military legacy, with users celebrating the PAF's air superiority both in the past and present. The video also gained traction in the context of a controversy surrounding Azaan's father, Adnan Sami, a renowned singer who was born in the UK to a Pakistani father and Indian mother. Adnan Sami, who became an Indian citizen in 2016, recently came under fire for supporting India's Operation Sindoor. He posted slogans praising the Indian Army, including the phrase 'Sindoor se tandoor tak,' which drew widespread criticism from Pakistanis online.
Business Upturn
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Upturn
Did Pakistan Airforce really target Srinagar airbase? Here's the truth behind the viral video
A video circulating on multiple pro-Pakistan social media accounts falsely claims that the Pakistan Airforce has carried out an attack on the Srinagar airbase. The Government of India's official fact-checking arm, PIB Fact Check, has dismissed the video as fake and misleading. In a statement posted online, PIB clarified that: The video is not recent and not from India. It originates from sectarian clashes that occurred in 2024 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. There has been no such attack on the Srinagar airbase by the Pakistan Airforce. The video, which has been marked with a large red 'FAKE' stamp in PIB's post, is being widely circulated with false claims across various platforms. The government has urged citizens to rely only on official sources for verified and authentic information, and avoid spreading unverified content. Check out tweets by Pro-Pak twitter handles: 🚨BREAKING :🚨Breaking : Pakistan Airforce destroyed Indian Srinagar Airbase due to Indian Air Force Launches OperationSindoor .#IndiaPakistan #IndiaPakistanWar #OperationSindoor #IndoPakBorder #IndianAirForce #IndianArmy #PakistanismyRedLine — Abdul Ahad (@OneAahad) May 6, 2025 Srinagar airbase footage Allah Akbar — Chief justice boy (@chefjusticeboy) May 6, 2025 India, your Srinagar airbase, from where fighter jets took off to martyr innocent Pakistanis, has now been obliterated! You can't escape the truth—Pakistan struck back, and your aggression has been paid for. #PakistanZindabad — 🇵🇰Nadir Qureshi🇵🇰 (@Nadirqureshi) May 6, 2025 Srinagar Air Base was completely destroyed as a result of an effective and comprehensive airstrike by the Pakistan Air Force. Defence Pakistan — Faizan (@faizannrriaz) May 6, 2025 What Indians have lost so far: 1x Drone 2x SU-30 MKIs 2x RAFAEL Srinagar airbase gone , Pathankot damaged Brigade HQ – Srinagar gone SEAD & DEAD done. We are not done yet, Told you not to touch Hornet's Nest. — abdulhyefahad (@abdulhyefahad) May 6, 2025 Here's the truth about it viral fake clips about Srinagar airbase: Pakistani media and accounts are circulating 2 photos claiming that the Pakistan Air Force targeted the Srinagar airbase. These photos are fake. Fact: one is a 4-year-old photo of an IAF MiG jet crash in Punjab in 2021, and the other is a 1-year-old photo of an IAF MiG fighter… — Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) May 6, 2025 I'm outside the Srinagar airbase. The only thing on fire here is a chhola-bhatura vendor's cooking pot. — Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) May 7, 2025 In a video shared by several pro-Pakistan handles, it is being falsely claimed that the Pakistan Airforce has targeted Srinagar airbase#PIBFactCheck ❌ The video shared is old and NOT from India. ✅The video is from sectarian clashes that took place in the year 2024, in… — PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 7, 2025 The clarification comes amid heightened misinformation attempts in the region, as authorities call for caution and vigilance among digital users. News desk at
Straits Times
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
India's military response to previous attacks in Kashmir blamed on Pakistan
FILE PHOTO: An Indian security force personnel stands guard on a street, following an attack on tourists near Pahalgam in south Kashmir, in Srinagar, April 29, 2025. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo NEW DELHI - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue the assailants behind last month's attack on tourists in Kashmir to the "ends of the earth". India says two of the three "terrorists" involved in the attack were from arch-enemy Pakistan, although Islamabad has denied any involvement. The nuclear-armed nations have announced several tit-for-tat diplomatic and other measures, but Pakistan has said it expects India to launch a military incursion soon. WHAT HAS INDIA DONE PREVIOUSLY? 2019: On Feb. 14 that year, tensions escalated between the neighbours after a suicide car bombing killed 40 paramilitary troops in Pulwama in Kashmir, a mountainous region also claimed by Pakistan. The attack was claimed by Pakistan-based Islamist group Jaish-e-Mohammad. In response, India said its warplanes struck a Jaish-e-Mohammad training camp near the Pakistani town of Balakot in the early hours of Feb. 26. New Delhi said "a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis ... were eliminated". Later, Indian officials put the number of fatalities at 300 militants. Pakistan acknowledged that Indian jets had crossed into its territory, but said they bombed a hillside without hitting anything substantial. As the air forces of the two countries engaged, Pakistan captured an Indian pilot whose MiG fighter jet crashed in enemy territory after a dogfight with a Pakistani JF-17. Pakistan returned the pilot days later, and the situation cooled. 2016: On September 18 that year, gunmen stormed an Indian military base in Uri in the federal territory of Jammu and Kashmir, near the border, killing 19 Indian soldiers. Pakistan denied Indian charges that it was behind the attack. Ten days later, India said it had carried out "surgical strikes" on militant bases across the de facto border. Pakistan denied that any incursion had occurred on its territory. HOW ARE THE COUNTRIES PREPARING NOW? Pakistani government ministers have said a military incursion by India was imminent and that they have reinforced their defences. Indian forces have also carried out exercises across various parts of the country. Troops from the two sides have exchanged small arms fire across their frontier for the past seven nights, but no casualties have been reported so far, India has said. HOW DO THE COUNTRIES' DEFENCES COMPARE? India easily outnumbers Pakistan in active military personnel and combat aircraft, but their nuclear arsenal is nearly the same. India has 172 warheads and Pakistan 170. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
