Russia readying nuclear missile '12 times more powerful' than one dropped on Hiroshima

As the battle in Bakhmut eastern Donetsk rages on and the Commander of Donetsk militia, Alexander Khodakovsky, pushed for the use of tactical nukes to "win this war," it appears Russia's President Vladimir Putin may be readying a strategic nuclear missile "12 times more powerful than one destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki" during the World War II (1939-45). The atomic weapon was dropped on the Japanese city on August 6, 1945 by the American B-29 bomber. The world's first atomic bombing on Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed 70,000 and 35,000 citizens instantly. Thousands succumbed later due to the fatal atomic radiations. 

Moscow 's nuclear missile weights 46,000 tonnes, has an operational range of up to 12,000 kilometers (7,456 miles) and can strike the United States or anywhere in Europe, according to the Moscow based tabloid newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda. The payload of the missile is up to 500 kilotons. Russia has suffered unexpected setbacks on the battlefield in the conflict with Ukraine that has soared tensions in the Kremlin about the war's outcome.

Yars Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. Credit: Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology

Russian Defense Ministry, shared a footage showing the new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) RS-24 Yars that can evade missile defense systems mounted on a silo launcher at the Yars missile complex in the Kaluga region. The three stage solid fuel missile RS-24 Yars, first tested by Moscow in 2007 [known as the  SS-29 to the United States and NATO] is a heavier version of the RT-2PM2 Topol-M that is capable of carrying 10 warheads including the nuclear 150-200 kT, MIRV warheads, as well as penetration aids. 

Russia is speculated to have at least 6-10 with 100 - 300 kT blast yield each ad the fire range of 12 000 km. It is both road-mobile and on the silo-based system and entered into service in February 2010 for Russian Strategic Missile Forces. RS-24 Yars ICBM was first deployed by Russian military in 2004 after its first successful flight test in May that year. By 2016, Russian Strategic Missile Forces deployed nearly 63 mobile and 10 silo-based Yars ICBMs with the Topol-M systems. 

Yars launch at Plesetsk. Credit: Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology/ CSIS Missile Defense Project

Upgradation of Doomsday plane 

On Dec 14, Russia upgraded its ‘Doomsday’ plane Il-80VKP with a new ultra-long wave communication complex in order to maintain regular communication with submerged 'nuclear' submarines, according to the Naval  Open Source Intelligence (NOSI). The communication complex would enhance the connection with an extended submersible communication antenna towed by the submarine. The Ilyushin Il-80VKP (Il-86VzPU), NATO code Maxdome, is the airborne command post of the Russian President that will acrivate in an event of a nuclear attack. it is also dubbed as the Flying Kremlin. Moscow currently has an estimated 4,477 deployed and reserve nuclear warheads. Of these there are 1,900 “non-strategic." 

In a speech on the national television, Russian President Vladimir Putin had threatened use of tactical nuclear weapons during the ongoing offensive. “In the event of a threat to the territorial integrity of our country and to defend Russia and our people, we will certainly make use of all weapon systems available to us. This is not a bluff," he said, in a blatant warning to the Western military alliance NATO.