Factbox-What’s the intercontinental ballistic missile Ukraine says Russia fired? • World South World

By Max Hunder

A Russian intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that Ukraine says was fired on the metropolis of Dnipro on Thursday was an RS-26 Rubezh, Ukraine’s Ukrainska Pravda media outlet reported, citing nameless sources.

In keeping with defence sources, nevertheless, there are doubts as as to whether the weapon used was the RS-26 Rubezh, and stated that an correct evaluation primarily based on the out there imagery could be troublesome.

Listed below are some info about ballistic missiles, ICBMs and the RS-26:

– A ballistic missile is a rocket-propelled, self-guided weapon that falls in the direction of its goal by drive of gravity.

– An ICBM refers to a ballistic missile with a variety of greater than 5,500 km (3,420 miles)

– U.S. think-tank the Centre for Strategic and Worldwide Research (CSIS) stated that though the R-26 is assessed as an ICBM below the New START nuclear arms discount treaty between america and Russia, it could actually additionally fall into the class of an intermediate-range ballistic missile when used with heavier payloads at ranges under 5,500 km.

RAPID FLIGHT

– Ballistic missiles together with ICBMs might be fired in a depressed mode, that means that they don’t enter area and their trajectory stays throughout the environment. That may dissipate extra gasoline and reduces their vary.

– ICBMs fly at speeds of a number of kilometres per second. Coming from Russia, an ICBM would take round 40 minutes to succeed in a goal in america coming from Russia, in accordance with a navy supply. The greater than 700 km journey to Dnipro from the Russian area of Astrakhan, from the place Ukraine’s air drive stated the weapon was fired on Thursday, would take lower than 10 minutes.

FIRST SUCCESSFUL TEST IN 2012

– ICBMs are designed to hold nuclear warheads, though technically they’ll carry any payload of equal or lesser mass, with modifications. There was no suggestion {that a} nuclear weapon was fired on Thursday.

– In keeping with the U.S.-based Arms Management Affiliation, the RS-26 has a variety of as much as 5,800 km.

– The CSIS stated the RS-26 was first efficiently examined in 2012 and is estimated to be 12 metres lengthy and weigh 36 tons and might carry an 800-kg (1,760-lb) nuclear warhead. It by no means formally entered service, in accordance with specialists.