Latest news with #TU-95
India.com
2 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
RS-26 Oreshnik Hypersonic Missile: Russian weapon that can't be tracked, six nuclear capable warheads, range is..., bad news for US, Ukraine, NATO
Russia Ukraine war: Ukraine shocked Russia by launching 117 first-person view (FPV) drones deep inside its territory as part of Operation Spider's Web which destroyed about 40 Russia's advanced bombers and other military aircraft like the A-50, TU-95, and TU-22M3. This attack, launched on June1, was strategically very significant and aimed at weakening Russia's air power. It was a humiliating moment for the mighty Russian setup as Ukraine launched the largest drone attack on Russia to date and that too very deep inside Russia's Irkutsk region in Siberia, almost 4500 km from the border. The coordinated strikes targeted the Russian Air Force's Long-Range Aviation assets at five air bases of Belaya, Dyagilevo, Ivanovo Severny, Olenya, and Ukrainka. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy released a video message informing about the operation. Now the whole world waits with bated breath for the retaliatory action of Vladimir Putin. Many are speculating that Moscow might unleash its nuclear might. However, it possesses another weapon that is almost as destructive as a nuclear bomb. It is the nuclear capable RS-26 Oreshnik Missile and some analysts argue that Putin might ask the army to keep the RS-26 Oreshnik nuclear capable missile at the standby. Oreshnik is a Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) characterized by its reported speed exceeding Mach 10 or 12,300 kmh (7,610 mph; 3.40 km/s). Russian forces have used the Oreshnik missile on November 21, 2024 in an attack on the PA Pivdenmash facility in Dnipro. The most outstanding feature of this missile is its hypersonic speed of over Mach 10 (12300 kmh) which makes it almost impossible to intercept by the current air defence systems. One Oreshnik is armed with six warheads, each reportedly containing submunitions. This is known as a Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) payload. This feature means the missile can target multiple points simultaneously, further complicating interception efforts for existing air defence systems. The missile has an incredible range of 5,800 to 6,000 kilometers, thus bringing most parts of Europe and Asia in its reach, especially if launched from certain locations. The Oreshnik has raised alarms among NATO countries and even the USA has taken a serious view of this system. According to Igor Korotchenko, editor-in-chief and military analyst of the National Defense Magazine, has said that even enemy spy satellites could not track this Russian missile. Even if you do, by the time the enemy gets the news from the satellite, its warheads will have caused havoc. 'Just let them set the target,' Igor said. If Russia once sets a target for Kyiv, then no air defense system in the world present there will be able to stop this missile. Oreshnik is fired from a mobile ground missile launch system. Therefore, no spy satellite in the world can track its launch on the basis of a single location. Its launch system can be taken anywhere while the satellite was focusing on only one place and the missile was launched from another place. The special thing is that the Oreshnik missile also has an anti-missile manoeuver. That is, if someone sends a missile towards it for interception, then it will deviate from its path and remain safe. Each warhead of this missile has its own propulsion system. How many warheads will the enemy's interception missile target? Each of its warheads can move towards the target by deceiving the enemy's missile. That means that Oreshnik will destroy the target in every situation, says Igor. The weapons that are installed in it produce a temperature of 4000 degrees Celsius which can melt any metal and reduce concrete to ashes. The surface temperature of the sun is 5 to 6.5 thousand degrees Celsius and going by this comparison, wherever this missile will strike, devastation of a very high magnitude is certain. This feature of the Oreshnik was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine's drone attack the latest in a series of daring David versus Goliath hits against Russian targets
Ukraine's large-scale drone attack on Russian air bases thousands of miles behind the front lines is the latest in a long line of daring missions by Ukraine's forces against its giant neighbor. The operation, more than a year and a half in the making, involved drones being smuggled into Russian territory and hidden in wooden mobile houses atop trucks, according to a source in the SBU, Ukraine's domestic intelligence agency. The strikes caused an estimated $7 billion in damages and hit 34% of Russia's strategic cruise missile carriers at its main air bases, the source said. The assault also showed that Ukraine still has the ability to pressure Russia even as Moscow ramps up its own attacks and offensive operations. Here's a look at some of the Ukrainian force's most significant hits during the war: Analysts have called Ukraine's Sunday drone attack on the bomber bases the most significant by Kyiv since the beginning of the war. More than 40 aircraft were known to have been hit in the operation, according to an SBU security source, including TU-95 and Tu-22M3 strategic bombers and one of Russia's few remaining A-50 surveillance planes. The Tu-22M3 is Russia's long-range missile strike platform that can perform stand-off attacks, launching missiles from Russian airspace well behind the front lines to stay out of range of Ukrainian anti-aircraft fire. Russia had 55 Tu-22M3 jets and 57 Tu-95s in its fleet at the beginning of the year, according to the 'Military Balance 2025' from the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank. The Tu-95 joined the Soviet Union air force in the 1950s, and Russia has modified them to launch cruise missiles like the Tu-22. Military aviation expert Peter Layton said the loss of the bombers, which could carry the heaviest and most powerful cruise missiles, mean Russia will need to rely more on drones for future attacks on Ukraine. Outside the immediate air war, the attack on the air bases will be a major distraction for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Carl Schuster, a former director of operations at the US Pacific Command's Joint Intelligence Center, now a military analyst in Hawaii. 'Putin will direct more resources to internal security after such a domestic security failure,' Schuster said. 'Ukraine was able to deploy dozens of containers with drones to within line of sight of major Russian strategic bases and launch massive air strikes. Can you imagine explaining that one to Putin?' One of Ukraine's first major wins was the sinking of the cruiser Moskva, the pride of Russia's Black Sea fleet, in the early months of war. The Moskva was one of the Russian Navy's most important warships and its sinking represented a massive blow to Moscow's military, which at the time was struggling against Ukrainian resistance 50 days into Putin's invasion. In April, 2022, Ukraine's Operational Command South claimed the Moskva had begun to sink after it was hit by Ukrainian Neptune anti-ship missiles. Russia, meanwhile said a fire broke out on the guided-missile cruiser, causing munitions aboard to explode, inflicting serious damage to the vessel, and forcing the crew of the warship to be evacuated. Analysts said its loss struck hard at the heart of the Russian navy as well as national pride, comparable to the US Navy losing a battleship during World War II or an aircraft carrier today. What followed was a string of naval defeats for Moscow's Black Sea Fleet. In early 2024, six sea drones, powered by jet skis, felled a Russian guided missile ship, the Ivanovets. Night-time footage released by the Ukrainians showed Russians firing at the drones as they raced toward the Ivanovets, before at least two drones struck the side of the ship, disabling it and causing massive explosions. Built following Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, the 12-mile Kerch bridge was a vital supply line for Moscow's war effort in Ukraine and a personal project for Putin, embodying his objective to bind the peninsula to Russia. Russia built the bridge at a cost of around $3.7 billion In July, 2023, Ukrainian security services claimed to have blown up the bridge using an experimental sea drone. The attack caused damage to the road lanes of the bridge, and, according to Russian officials, killed two civilians. The head of the SBU, Vasyl Maliuk, told CNN at the time that the Kerch attack was a joint operation with the Ukrainian navy. The bridge is a critical artery for supplying Crimea with both its daily needs and supplies for the military. A number of high profile Russian military figures have been killed inside the country over the past year. Crucially, Ukraine has never claimed the killings but it is notable that many of those killed played prominent roles in Moscow's . Last month, Russian deputy mayor and prominent veteran of the war, Zaur Aleksandrovich Gurtsiev, was killed in an explosion in southern Russia. Russian authorities said they were investigating all options into the killing, 'including the organization of a terrorist attack' involving Ukraine. Gurtsiev had been involved in the Russian attacks on the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, which destroyed about 90% of residential buildings, according to United Nations estimates. Gurtsiev had 'introduced his developments in the technology of targeting missiles, which allowed them to increase their accuracy and effectiveness many times over,' according to the 'Time of Heroes' program. In April, Russian authorities charged a 'Ukrainian special services agent' with terrorism, after he was detained in connection with a car explosion that killed Russian General Yaroslav Moskalik, the deputy head of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. And in February Armen Sarkisyan, the founder of a pro-Russian militia group in eastern Ukraine – described by authorities in Kyiv as a 'criminal mastermind' – died following a bombing in central Moscow. The bombing took place in an upmarket residential complex in the capital city, Russian state media outlet TASS reported at the time. Ukraine has never claimed the killings but it is notable that high-profile figures have been assassinated in Russian territory.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
World War 3: Will Ukraine's drone strike inside Russia raise the risk of a global nuclear war?
Ukraine launched a major drone strike on five Russian air bases ahead of scheduled peace talks in Istanbul. The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the attacks, which damaged multiple aircraft. Ukraine said it had destroyed nearly 40 Russian aircraft, including TU-95 and Tu-22 bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The strike was prepared over 11 months by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU). The escalation comes just before the second round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. International observers said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is trying to increase pressure on Moscow before the talks begin on June 2. Russia's delegation, led by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medynsky, has already reached Turkey. Despite the meeting, experts have said there is little hope for an immediate ceasefire. World War 3: Fears of nuclear escalation resurface The strikes have raised concerns about whether Russian President Vladimir Putin might respond with nuclear weapons. On May 4, Putin addressed the issue in a state television interview. 'There has been no need to use those (nuclear) weapons ... and I hope they will not be required. We have enough strength and means to bring what was started in 2022 to a logical conclusion with the outcome Russia requires,' he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like DNA Discovery Reveals Truth About Native Americans Daily Sport X Undo Last year, Putin updated Russia's nuclear doctrine, which now permits the use of nuclear weapons even in response to a conventional attack supported by a nuclear-armed country.' Former Russian President Warned of World War III last week Tensions escalated further this week as former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned of the threat of World War III amid rising hostilities between Washington and Moscow over the Ukraine conflict. Medvedev, who now serves in a senior security role, made the remark after a fiery statement from former U.S. President Donald Trump. Live Events You Might Also Like: Is World War III coming? US-Russia social media slugfest escalates; Medvedev's comment sparks global alarm, Trump aide counters Trump, writing on his social media platform Truth Social, criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming that his past leadership had prevented 'really bad things' from happening to Russia. 'He's playing with fire!' Trump warned, seemingly frustrated by the absence of a ceasefire. Hours later, Medvedev responded on X, saying, 'I only know of one REALLY BAD thing — WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!' European nations prepare for broader conflict In March this year, European countries advised citizens to prepare for emergencies. Governments in Sweden, Finland, and Germany have issued civil defence guides recommending stockpiling food, water, and medicines. These measures were advised amid rising military tensions and concerns about future security in the region. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that Russia could attack Europe by 2030. 'If anyone miscalculates and thinks they can get away with attacking Poland or any other ally, they will be met with the full force of this fierce alliance,' Rutte said during a visit to Warsaw, shortly after a Russian missile hit the Ukrainian city of Sumy. Some defence experts believe that if Ukraine falls, Russia may try to advance into neighbouring countries such as the Baltic states, Finland, or Poland. According to military analysts, this could force NATO into direct conflict with Russia. You Might Also Like: Russia Ukraine war: Smuggled trucks, drones, over year long planning, here's how Russian nuclear-capable long-range bombers, airbases are destroyed Many in US and Europe think 'World War II likely within five to 10 years' Last month, on the eve of eighty years after the end of the Second World War, new polling suggests that many people in the US and western Europe believe a more destructive global conflict could erupt within the next decade. Rising tensions with Russia are viewed as the most likely trigger for such a war. The YouGov survey, conducted ahead of the 80th anniversary of VE Day, found that between 41% and 55% of respondents in Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain considered another world war to be very or fairly likely within five to ten years. In the United States, 45% of those polled shared this concern. Most also said the lessons of the Second World War remain relevant and should continue to be passed on to younger generations. Middle East and Asia add to global instability While Europe prepares for potential escalation, the Middle East is witnessing renewed violence. Israel's strikes in Gaza have put the ceasefire agreement at risk. In southern Lebanon, Hezbollah is under attack, and Syria remains unstable. The United States has carried out airstrikes in Yemen targeting Houthi forces. Reports suggest Iran may be working toward nuclear capability, with unconfirmed intelligence indicating a possible exchange of military technology between Russia and Iran. Recently, tension increased between India and Pakistan after a terror attack in Pahalgam led by Pakistan-based terrorists. India launched a strike on nine terror targets in Pakistan, which escalated into a wider conflict between the two nuclear-powered nations. Elsewhere in Asia, the US and China remain in a standoff over Taiwan, with both sides increasing military activity. Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong warned that the rising pressure could push the world closer to a major conflict. Analysts have cautioned that the use of military force by either side could result in global consequences. North Korea's role in Ukraine raises further alarms In January, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces had captured North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian troops. According to reports, North Korea had sent hundreds of troops to support Russia. This raised further concerns about the growing number of countries indirectly involved in the Ukraine conflict. Is a global war underway? Military and political analysts are questioning whether the world is already in the early stages of a broader war. With conflicts intensifying in multiple regions and nuclear rhetoric on the rise, governments are adjusting their defence policies. European nations are deploying air defence systems such as the US-made Patriot missiles and Israel's Arrow 3 interceptor. There is also ongoing discussion in Europe about creating a more independent nuclear deterrent, with countries like Poland expressing interest in tactical nuclear weapons. Across capitals, officials stress that these are precautionary steps. However, the speed at which countries are increasing defence readiness and civil preparedness shows the level of concern.
Saudi Gazette
3 days ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Ukraine targets several Russian air bases in large-scale operation ‘Spiderweb'
KYIV — Ukraine has carried out large-scale drone strikes against several air bases deep inside Russia, destroying multiple combat planes, according to the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU). The operation, dubbed 'Spiderweb,' comes on the eve of expected peace talks in Istanbul between Russia and Ukraine, and involved the most ambitious simultaneous strikes on Russian air bases carried out by Ukraine since the war began. An SBU source said that Russian bombers were 'burning en masse' at four air bases hundreds of miles apart, adding that drones had been launched from trucks inside Russia. Ukraine planned the operation for more than a year and a half and used 117 drones to carry out the attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an address on Sunday night. 'The planning, organization, and all the details were perfectly prepared. It can be confidently said that this was an absolutely unique operation,' Zelensky said. The Trump administration was not given a heads-up about the operation, an administration official told CNN. A senior US defense official told CNN that Ukraine's attack showed a level of sophistication that they had not seen before. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth received regular updates as he traveled to Joint Base Andrews on Sunday but has not yet spoken to his Ukrainian counterparts, the official said. The Department of Defense is continuing to assess the extent of the damage from the attacks and determine the details of the operation, the official added. More than 40 aircraft were known to have been hit, according to the SBU source, including TU-95 and Tu-22M3 strategic bombers and one of Russia's few remaining A-50 surveillance planes. According to the SBU, the operation caused an estimated $7 billion in damages and hit 34% of Russia's strategic cruise missile carriers at its main air bases. 'We are doing everything to drive the enemy from our native land! We will strike them at sea, in the air, and on land. And if needed — we'll reach them even from underground,' the SBU said in a statement. The airfields targeted included Belaya in Irkutsk, some 4,500 kilometers (2,800 miles) from Ukraine's border with Russia, and the Dyagilevo base in Ryazan in western Russia, about 520 kilometers (320 miles) from Ukraine, which is a training center for Russia's strategic bomber force. The Olenya base near Murmansk in the Arctic Circle, more than 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) from Ukraine, was also struck, according to the source, as well as the Ivanovo air base, more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) from Ukraine. Ivanovo is a base for Russian military transport aircraft. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed Ukraine had targeted Russian airfields across five regions on Sunday, calling the drone strikes 'terrorist attacks.' The ministry said strikes were repelled in the Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur regions but that 'several pieces of aircraft' caught fire after attacks in the Murmansk and Irkutsk regions. It added that the fires had since been extinguished. There were no casualties as a result of the attacks, the ministry continued, adding that 'some participants in the terrorist attacks have been detained.' The governor of Irkutsk region, Igor Kobziev, said that drones had been launched from a truck near the Belaya base. Kobziev said on Telegram that the exact number of drones deployed had not been determined. Emergency and security services were at the site, he added. SBU drones were targeting aircraft that bomb Ukrainian cities every night, the SBU source said. One video supplied by the source purportedly shows the Belaya airfield in flames and the voice of the head of the SBU, Lt. Gen. Vasyl Malyuk, commenting on the situation. 'How beautiful Belaya airfield looks now. Enemy's strategic aircraft,' he says. CNN was able to confirm the location of that video, as well as two others posted on social media showing smoke rising from the Belaya air base. It was not immediately able to independently verify other videos provided by the SBU. The SBU source said that the operation was 'extremely complicated from a logistical point of view,' with the drones carried inside wooden mobile homes that had been carried into Russia on trucks. 'The drones were hidden under the roofs of the houses, which were already placed on trucks. At the right moment, the roofs were remotely opened, and the drones flew to hit Russian bombers.' One video purportedly of one attack appears to show drones rising from a truck, as vehicles pass on a nearby highway. Another image shows the roof of the truck on the ground. The source added that people involved were already back in Ukraine. Ukraine's operation followed a Russian attack overnight Saturday that involved 472 drones – Moscow's largest drone attack since the war began. It came the same day as a Russian missile strike on a training site used by Ukrainian forces, killing at least 12 people and wounding more than 60 others. It also came soon after two bridges collapsed in Russia's western regions bordering Ukraine in unclear circumstances. This chain of events comes as Russia and Ukraine are set to return to peace negotiations on Monday. The talks, which will take place in Istanbul, have been strained by uncertainty. US President Donald Trump has expressed frustration around Russian President Vladimir Putin's resistance to advancing the peace talks. Putin proposed holding 'direct talks' in Turkey earlier this month – but never showed up, despite Zelensky agreeing to meet. In the end, the two nations sent low-level delegations to negotiate instead. A framework from the Ukrainian delegation lists key principles for the talks that include a full and unconditional ceasefire, an exchange of prisoners, and the release of hostages and return of abducted children. — CNN
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Russian defence ministry confirms 5 airbases targeted in Ukrainian drone strike
The Russian defence ministry confirmed on Sunday that the Ukrainian drone strikes targeted 5 airbases across the country, damaging an unspecified number of aircrafts. In a statement, the Russian defence ministry accused Kyiv of carrying out 'a terror attack with the use of FPV drones on airfields in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur Regions. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now ' 'All terror attacks on military airfields in the Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur Regions were repelled,' the ministry added. For the first time, it was officially confirmed that some of the drone launches took place from within close proximity to airfields. According to Russian officials, the Olenogorsk airfield in the Murmansk region and the Sredny airfield in Irkutsk, Siberia, were targeted from nearby locations using trailer trucks. 'As a result of the launch of FPV drones from territories in the close proximity to military airfields in the Murmansk and Irkutsk Regions, several aircraft caught fire. The fires were extinguished,' the ministry said. Meanwhile, Ukraine claimed the attacks destroyed around 40 Russian military planes, including nuclear-capable TU-95 and Tu-22 strategic bombers. Observers suggest the attacks may be an attempt by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to put pressure on Moscow ahead of the second round of peace talks scheduled for Monday in Istanbul. A Russian delegation led by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medynsky has already arrived in Turkey. Despite the talks, analysts remain sceptical about any imminent breakthrough. Most believe a ceasefire in Ukraine remains unlikely at this stage.
