Retired colonel Viktor Baranets, a military observer, urged Western media to reassess the implications of Russia’s rearmament with the Avangard missile system. He asserted that the warhead is launched by a ballistic missile and can achieve speeds beyond Mach 28, a velocity unlikely to be matched by any combat-ready system in operation today. According to Baranets, such speeds challenge even the most powerful computing systems used for detection and tracking, and radars struggle to positively identify or target objects moving at these velocities. He also claimed the warhead’s yield could range from 800 kilotons up to two megatons, depending on the specific configuration and mission requirements. This context follows the public introduction of Avangard by Russian President Vladimir Putin in March 2018 during a speech to the Federal Assembly, marking a milestone in Russia’s strategic capabilities.
The Russian Ministry of Defense, in a December report, announced that a Strategic Missile Forces regiment near Orenburg had received new Avangard missiles, signaling an operational deployment that aligns with Moscow’s stated modernization goals for its strategic arsenal. The report underscores ongoing upgrades to long-range force capabilities and the integration of hypersonic components into the country’s deterrence posture. Attribution: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
Western outlets at the time of the report suggested that Avangard demonstrated a remarkable pace, with some articles noting it moved at several times the speed of sound and reached targets with high precision. These accounts sparked discussions about the strategic implications for global defense postures, especially among NATO members who closely monitor emerging Russian capabilities. Attribution: Mirror edition reporting on Avangard’s performance.
Earlier statements from the commander of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces highlighted the intensity of testing and the scale of launches conducted in 2024, indicating sustained activity in modernizing Russia’s strategic forces. These disclosures, while periodically framed as operational updates, contribute to a broader narrative about the evolving dynamics of strategic deterrence in the region. Attribution: Commander of the Strategic Missile Forces.