Russia recently loaded a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile into a launch silo in the south of the country. This development comes against a backdrop of growing geopolitical tensions and represents a notable step in the modernization of Russia’s nuclear arsenal.
The missile in question is equipped with the hypersonic glide vehicle Vanguardan advanced technology presented by the Russian president Vladimir Putin in 2018. This weapon, capable of reaching hypersonic speeds, symbolizes a major advance in the arms race, accentuating global security issues. The Avangard vehicle can separate from its vector and perform unpredictable maneuvers at breakneck speeds, making its trajectory difficult to intercept.
Manifestation of the Ministry of Defense
The images broadcast by the television channel Zvezdalinked to the Russian Defense Ministry, showed the missile being transported to a launch silo in the Orenburg region near Kazakhstan.
As a reminder, the United States and Russia, the world’s two leading nuclear powers, deplore the erosion of agreements that were once aimed at limiting the proliferation of nuclear weapons and preventing the risks of nuclear conflict. Despite these concerns, both countries, as well as China, are actively pursuing the development of new weapons technologies, particularly in the hypersonic field.
In this context of tension, Russia recently took the decision to withdraw from the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), a decision justified by the Russian Defense Minister, Serguei Xoiguas a symmetrical response to the attitude of the United States, which have never ratified this treaty. This announcement, made during the Security Forum Xiangshan in China, marks a turning point in Russian nuclear policy, although Shoigu insists that Russia’s nuclear doctrine remains unchanged.
This escalation of nuclear weapons and withdrawal from key treaties raises important questions about the future of global security as major powers continue to develop increasingly sophisticated weapons.
