logo
ENع
#

Latest news with #missile

‘After us, silence': Two million documents detailing Russia's nuclear expansion leaked
‘After us, silence': Two million documents detailing Russia's nuclear expansion leaked

News.com.au

time3 days ago

  • Politics
  • News.com.au

‘After us, silence': Two million documents detailing Russia's nuclear expansion leaked

Buried beneath the plains of southern Russia in the shadow of the Ural Mountains, a vast network of fortified missile silos, tunnels and command centres has undergone a dramatic transformation. Europe has been gripped by the sudden emergence of over two million leaked documents revealing the scale and ambition of Moscow's nuclear infrastructure overhaul. Without mutual inspections in place since 2020, understanding Russia's true capabilities has been difficult, meaning leaks are viewed as solid gold for Western governments. The documents, published by the Danish independent outlet Danwatch, providea chilling glimpse into President Vladimir Putin's long-game strategy to reinforce Russia's famous deterrence doctrine. At the centre of it is Yasny — a remote military town that houses elements of Russia's Strategic Missile Forces. Since 2019, the complex has been fitted with Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles, an advanced nuclear delivery system touted by Putin himself in 2018. He bragged that they are capable of evading even the most complex of Western defences. 'Nobody wanted to listen to us — so listen now,' the Russian leader warned at the time. That speech signalled a renewed arms race, one shaped not by Cold War parity but by 21st-century asymmetry. What once appeared on satellite imagery as a modest array of fenced-off silos has morphed into a heavily fortified expanse. Leaked procurement records show an influx of cement, steel, IT systems and surveillance equipment, used to build control centres, barracks, and miles of subterranean tunnels. The upgraded perimeter includes three-deep electric fences, radiation and seismic sensors, blast-proof infrastructure, and automated defence systems including remote-controlled weapons. Life inside the complex is reportedly regimented and insular. Recruits reportedly pass time playing chess and lifting weights, while signs posted throughout the base warn, 'Stop! Turn around! Forbidden zone!' Putin has previously stated that Russia would never be the first to use nuclear weapons, but that if attacked, retaliation would be absolute. 'Any aggressor should know that retaliation is inevitable and they will be annihilated,' he declared. In a separate speech in 2024, Putin warned his nuclear forces were 'always' on alert. 'Russia will do everything to prevent a global clash, but at the same time we will not allow anyone to threaten us. Our strategic forces are always on alert,' Putin told thousands of soldiers gathered for their annual Victory Day in 2024. 'Russia is now going through a difficult, crucial period. The fate of the Motherland, its future depends on each of us,' he said. 'After us, silence' Analysts believe that large-scale nuclear confrontation remains unlikely due to the apocalyptic consequences for all sides. Nonetheless, the modernisation is real and so is the message. The motto of Russia's Strategic Missile Forces tells you quite a bit on its own: 'After us, silence.' Military analysts argue that Russia's recent posture, including regular nuclear threats during the war in Ukraine, reflects a shift in doctrine. There is a growing perception that Moscow's threshold for nuclear deployment may have lowered. 'It's important that we have a correct understanding of the situation,' said Tom Roseth, a defence analyst who spoke to Der Spiege l. 'Many still don't fully recognise the fundamental shift in security policy. Russia has modernised its arsenal — and they've threatened to use it.' The revelations come as Western nations steadily lift restrictions on Ukrainian use of long-range weaponry against targets inside Russia. Germany, France, the UK and the US have all recently removed limitations, enabling Kyiv to strike military installations across the border — a development with clear strategic implications. Despite mounting warnings from think tanks and EU-aligned leaders, a wider Russian attack on NATO remains unlikely. Roseth added: 'They will certainly evaluate whether they can reduce the vulnerabilities that have been revealed. That could mean rerouting cables or reinforcing key infrastructure — but such changes come at a high cost.' '12,500 nukes' Roughly 12,500 nuclear weapons exist today, held by nine nations: the US, Russia, China, India, France, the UK, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea. The arms race, once tempered post-Cold War, is again accelerating. Leaders claim deterrence, but the threat of miscalculation — like the 1983 false alarm that nearly triggered Armageddon — looms large. Russian pundits regularly invoke nuclear threats as Vladimir Putin continues his war in Ukraine. North Korea remains defiant, expanding its arsenal and testing missiles dangerously close to Japan. Estimates of its nuclear cache range from 50 to 130. In her book, Nuclear War: A Scenario, analyst Annie Jacobsen outlines how a launch would unfold — with US satellites detecting ignition in under a second, and the President given mere minutes to respond. ' We don't wait to absorb a nuclear blow,' she says. 'We launch.'

Funeral of 3 siblings killed in Russian strike underscores mounting toll on Ukrainian families
Funeral of 3 siblings killed in Russian strike underscores mounting toll on Ukrainian families

The Independent

time4 days ago

  • General
  • The Independent

Funeral of 3 siblings killed in Russian strike underscores mounting toll on Ukrainian families

Three coffins — one adult-sized, one medium and one child-sized — lay Wednesday inside the Soviet-era Palace of Culture in this northern Ukrainian city, surrounded by dozens of bouquets as a church choir sang farewell prayers. Hundreds of residents stood in grim silence. Some wept quietly. Others broke down completely. The funeral was for 8-year-old Tamara, 12-year-old Stanislav, and 17-year-old Roman Martyniuk — siblings from the same family. They were killed over the weekend when debris from a Russian cruise missile slammed into their home in Korostyshiv, a city of 24,000 residents about 100 kilometers (60 miles) west of Kyiv, during an aerial barrage. It struck at 3 a.m. as they slept in their beds. 'I saw destruction, great destruction. All the houses were razed and shattered,' said Volodymyr Demchenko, the family's 77-year-old neighbor, recalling the night when the missile landed 500 meters (yards) from his home. The children's deaths underscore the mounting toll on Ukrainian families as Moscow ramps up its strikes amid faltering peace efforts. It was one of several recent tragedies in which children and teenagers have died, revealing a grim pattern as hopes for a ceasefire fade and Russian attacks continue to target civilian areas. 'The three kids were incredibly bright, incredibly polite, the smartest, best students, always ready to help, always ready to support others,' said 22-year-old Yuliia Skok, the eldest sibling's teacher. Moscow denies targeting civilians, but abundant evidence shows otherwise. The children's father, still bearing fresh injuries, was released from the hospital to attend the funeral. He and his two surviving children sat beside the coffins — a scene that has become heartbreakingly familiar in a war now grinding through its fourth year. Their mother remained hospitalized. At least 209 civilians were killed and 1,146 injured across Ukraine in April, making it the deadliest month for civilians since September 2024, according to the U.N. human rights office. The toll was 23% higher than in March and 84% higher than in April 2024. Among the victims were at least 19 children, while another 78 were injured — more than the combined total of the previous four months. It was the highest verified monthly number of child casualties since June 2022. The deadliest single strike on children since the start of the invasion occurred April 4 in the central city of Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's hometown. A ballistic missile exploded over a park, playground and restaurant, scattering thousands of metal fragments that killed 20 civilians — including seven boys and two girls — and injured 63 others, the U.N. said. Nearly half of April's civilian casualties were caused by missile attacks, many involving powerful explosive weapons targeting densely populated urban areas such as Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv and Kharkiv. In several cases, Russian forces used fragmentation warheads that detonated mid-air, spreading shrapnel over wide areas. One of the deadliest such attacks occurred April 13 in the northern city of Sumy, where two ballistic missiles struck the historic city center minutes apart. The blasts killed at least 31 civilians — including two young boys — and injured 105. Many victims were caught in the open while rushing to help those wounded in the first explosion or while riding a bus near the impact zone. According to Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office, at least 630 children have been killed since the start of the war, and more than 1,960 injured. Korostyshiv, a town rarely shaken by tragedy of this scale, stood united in mourning Wednesday. 'They were some talented children who were supposed to keep living, but sadly, the war took their lives. We are very sad, the entire school and the community are mourning,' Skok said. Mourners passed slowly by the coffins to pay their final respects. Some placed flowers. Others could barely walk. 'This is an irreparable loss that will leave a deep mark in the hearts of each of us,' Zhytomyr regional Gov. Vitalii Bunechko in a statement. 'We bow our heads in memory of the children whose lives were cut short by Russian missiles."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store