Russia’s military recently loaded one of its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that can be armed with nuclear warheads into a launch site at a missile base in Western Russia. The Yars ICBM was loaded into a silo at the Kozelsk missile base in the Kaluga region southwest of Moscow. This action is part of Russia’s ongoing efforts to maintain a strong nuclear deterrent. The Kremlin possesses the world’s largest nuclear weapons arsenal, just ahead of the United States, and both countries hold the vast majority of the world’s stocks of nuclear weapons.
ICBMs are strategic nuclear weapons that are designed to be more destructive and capable of taking out larger areas. The United States has its own Minuteman III ground-launched ICBMs that are a key component of its nuclear triad. The first Yars ICBM was assigned to the Russian forces based at the Kozelsk facility. The RS-24 Yars is a solid-fuel ICBM that can carry several re-entry vehicles to different targets, making it a versatile and powerful weapon. Each Yars ICBM can carry up to four multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) warheads, each with a yield of approximately 500 kilotons.
The Yars ICBM is a variant of Russia’s Topol-M missile and can be launched from silos or mobile launchers. These missiles have been in deployment for over a decade and a half, showcasing Russia’s commitment to maintaining a strong nuclear arsenal. Satellite imagery has shown substantial upgrades to the silos at the Kozelsk site, indicating ongoing efforts to modernize and improve Russia’s nuclear capabilities. In October, Russia conducted training exercises for its nuclear deterrence forces, which included launching Yars ICBMs and other ballistic missiles.
Experts estimate that there are over 12,000 nuclear warheads worldwide, with the majority of them able to be used. Nuclear weapons are typically divided into strategic and nonstrategic categories, with strategic weapons designed to strike at an opponent’s homeland. Both Russia and the United States have continued to engage in nuclear drills and exercises to ensure the readiness and effectiveness of their nuclear forces. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has prompted Russia to conduct multiple rounds of nuclear drills, including with the Yars missiles, as tensions remain high in the region.
