Russia strikes Ukraine with RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile

Russian troops launched an intercontinental ballistic missile RS-26 Rubezh in a morning attack on the city of Dnipro on 21 November. Source: Ukrainska Pravda

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Details: The missile's main purpose is to deliver nuclear warheads. However, a conventional high-explosive warhead may also be utilised.

The warhead weighs 1.2 tonnes (the warhead in Iskander-M weighs nearly three times less, at 480 kg). According to accessible sources, the RS-26 Rubezh can hit targets from a distance of up to 6,000 km. This is a mobile ground system, and depending on the launch location, the missile can reach Kyiv in 8-10 minutes.

The missile's unique feature is that it is made up of four controllable fighting units that can be separated.

During descent, the missile manoeuvres, making it more difficult for modern missile defence systems to intercept. Russia began developing the project of a mobile strategic missile system with an intercontinental ballistic missile RS-26 Rubezh about 18 years ago. This happened in violation of the treaty on the elimination of intermediate and short-range missiles, which was signed between the USSR and the USA in 1987.

Rubezh is thought to have been developed using two stages of the Topol-M strategic missile system. The RS-26 Rubezh was created by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology. The missile's maiden test launch occurred in 2011.

It was intended that in four years, it would be in the arsenal of the Russian army. However, in 2018, Russian propaganda media reported that the RS-26 Rubezh was omitted from the state arms programme until 2027 in order to redirect resources to other missile systems. Russia is expected to have ample chances to rapidly deploy the production of RS-26 Rubezh missiles using current technology, supply chains, and manufacturing processes.

The great majority of Russian long-range missiles can carry nuclear weapons.

Iskander, Kindzhal, cruise missiles like the Kh-55 and Kh-102, and many more.

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