 "Russia-Ukraine conflict: From Smerch rockets to Iskander missiles, what Vladimir Putin is using to attack Ukraine")
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began on Thursday, saw rockets and ballistic and cruise missiles raining down on the east European nation, wreaking havoc and causing untold misery.
According to the United States, Russian forces fired roughly 100 missiles from both land and sea against targets in Ukraine.
The US official speaking to CBS News also said that the initial Russian barrage included short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles. About 75 fixed-wing Russian bombers were used in the onslaught, with targets focused on military depots and air defence systems.
There were multiple videos on social media of missiles being fired and shells recovered from various locations in Ukraine.
Russia already shooting entirely unguided missiles at Ukrainian cities. https://t.co/hyBDVf8p1O
— Nathan Ruser (@Nrg8000) February 24, 2022
Russian missile almost hits family#russia #WWIII #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/d0RobXUMs6
— gaybanana (@codmayonaise) February 24, 2022
Let’s take a look at some of the weaponry that Russia is using in its invasion of Ukraine and the damage that is unfolding.
Smerch rocket system
Images from Ukraine-hit areas show the Russians fired the Smerch, a powerful multiple rocket-launcher system.
The adviser to the Ukraine’s minister of internal affairs Anton Herashchenko was quoted as saying that Smerch unmanned missiles had hit the suburbs of Kharkiv.
According to experts, each Smerch rocket system is mounted on a truck and can fire 12 rockets in just 38 seconds. The Print reports that the Smerch, which is also used by the Indian Army, has a range of about 90 kilometres.
Kalibr cruise missile
According to the Ukrainian ministry of defense, the opening Russian assault included 30 examples of the 3M14 Kalibr land attack cruise missile (LACM). This is a weapon that has been previously employed by the Russian Navy during Moscow’s intervention in the Syrian Civil War and which has established itself as one of the most important in the service’s arsenal.
L’aéroport de Ivano-Frankivsk en #Ukraine est bombardé ce matin. pic.twitter.com/1SSaNEKZUv
— Andreï VAITOVICH (@andreivaitovich) February 24, 2022
The subsonic 3M14 Kalibr is thought to have a range of between 930 and 1,550 miles, carrying a high-explosive warhead weighing 990 pounds.
Developed in the 1990s and used in combat for the first time in 2015, the Kalibr can be launched by ships, submarines or ground troops - with jet-launched versions thought to be in production.
Rob Lee, an expert on conflict between Russia and Ukraine, also stated that the cruise missiles used against Ivano-Frankivsk were of the Kalibr type.
Iskander tactical ballistic missiles
Videos on social media also showed ballistic missile launches targeting Ukraine in the first hours of the operation.
Some videos showed the use of the Iskander short-range ballistic missiles by the Russian forces. The Print reports that this particular tactical ballistic missile has a range of about 300 to 400 kilometres.
The missile is hooked up to the latest suite of Russian radar systems and is designed to evade enemy missile defences through its ability to correct mid-course.
Ukrainian authorities had in May 2021 said that Russia had stationed 36 Iskander medium-range ballistic missile systems along Ukraine’s border.
Tochka
The fighting also suggested that Russia has employed the Tochka armed with a 9N123K submunition warhead.
The remains allows us to determine the type of weapon used- we see a 9N123K submunition warhead that holds 50 9N24 HE submunitions. This type of deadly warhead is delivered with Tochka/Tochka-U tactical ballistic missile systems. 9N123K were previously used in Syria and Donbass. pic.twitter.com/1IIvwjbgI4
— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) February 24, 2022
The Tochka, or SS-21 Scarab, was developed during the Cold War and is a mobile short-range ballistic missile. The most recent version of the Tochka can carry a warhead of around 1,000 pounds over a range of up to 75 miles.
The Russian offensive has caused massive damage in Ukraine, but experts believe more is yet to come and that the world will see different types of missiles being employed.
With inputs from agencies
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