Discussions on an important international issue have resumed in the United States. A number of American experts suspect Russia of developing medium-range ballistic missiles, which contradicts the existing Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles, signed at the end of 1987. In accordance with this agreement, the United States and the USSR, and then Russia, pledged to destroy all available short- and medium-range ground-based ballistic and cruise missiles, and also not to create new weapons of these classes. American experts believe that the latest actions by the Russian defense industry violate the terms of the existing treaty.
According to the American newspaper The New York Times, the US leadership is concerned about the current situation and has recently passed on the necessary information to other NATO countries. According to the information available to the United States, Russia has been testing a new ballistic missile since 2008, suitable for attacking targets at ranges less than 5,500 kilometers, which is why this product can be classified as an intermediate-range missile prohibited by the existing treaty.
Launch of the Topol-E ICBM, Kapustin Yar training ground, site 107, 2009 (edited photo from
The available information about the latest domestic projects for the creation of strategic missiles makes it possible to understand which of them became a cause for concern for American politicians. Most likely, analysts from the United States are referring to the RS-26 Rubezh missile system, which is currently being tested. The ballistic missile of this complex is capable of hitting targets at a range of at least 6000-6500 kilometers. At the same time, there is information about the possibility of attacking enemy targets at shorter distances. So, in October 2012, an experimental Rubezh missile launched from the Kapustin Yar test site hit a training target at the Sary-Shagan test site. The distance between these two ranges is approximately equal to two thousand kilometers, which directly speaks of the characteristics of the range of the new missile.
In the foreign press, information about a new Russian missile capable of hitting targets at medium ranges appeared in May last year. On the eve of the visit of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States M. Dempsey to Moscow, The Washington Free Beacon published an article in which, among other things, a certain new Russian medium-range missile was mentioned. Information about the existence of this project, contrary to the existing treaty, was obtained from intelligence sources. The publication of the American newspaper caused unrest in certain quarters, but no official reaction followed over the next few months.
In November last year, the topic of the creation by Russia of certain missiles falling under the prohibition treaty once again became the object of attention of the foreign press. Then the American edition of The Daily Beast, citing sources close to the US government, reported on the current situation around the controversial Russian projects. According to sources of the publication, official Washington learned about the existence of a new missile with controversial characteristics back in 2012 and took some measures.
The State Department and the Pentagon held a special meeting in Congress, the theme of which was the new Russian missile and the legal implications of such weapons. According to The Daily Beast, American officials reacted sharply to reports of a possible violation by Russia of the treaty on the elimination of intermediate and shorter-range missiles, but did not make loud statements. All further discussions of the issue with the Russian side were conducted through diplomatic channels without disclosing any information.
Also in November last year, it became known about the new requirements of the Congress. The congressmen expressed a desire to receive a detailed report in 2014, the topic of which will be Russia's compliance with the terms of the existing treaty banning several classes of missiles. Specialists from the State Department will check the situation.
In the middle of last year, the head of the presidential administration S. Ivanov added fuel to the fire. He stated that the existing treaty on intermediate and shorter-range missiles is controversial and cannot go on indefinitely. Ivanov did not call for withdrawal from the treaty, but noted that he did not understand its goals. In addition, he touched upon the topic of the proliferation of medium and short-range missiles. In recent years, a specific situation has developed in which several developing countries already have missiles of similar classes, and the United States and Russia cannot use such weapons, since they are bound by an existing treaty.
The Russian side has not yet made any official statements about the American accusations. At the same time, our country has every reason to consider the accusations groundless and far-fetched. The RS-26 missile, the tests of which provoked a specific reaction from American politicians, belongs to the class of intercontinental missiles, since it is capable of hitting targets at ranges of more than 5500 kilometers. As for the launch carried out in the fall of 2012, the lack of information does not allow making assessments of this event. Nevertheless, there is no reason to consider the RS-26 a medium-range missile, which is supported by its maximum flight range.
Several years ago it was asserted that the new RS-26 Rubezh strategic missile would be put into service no later than 2013. Now we can talk about a shift in the timing of the adoption of this product for service, because of which the new missile will be on duty, at least this year. Thus, in the very near future, disputes around the new Russian missile will continue, and the issue of its classification and, as a result, compliance with existing international treaties, will remain open.
