Russia deploys Avangard hypersonic missile system

Russia’s first regiment of Avangard hypersonic missiles has been put into service. The location was not given, although officials had earlier indicated they would be deployed in the Urals. President Vladimir Putin has said the nuclear-capable missiles can travel more than 20 times the speed of sound and put Russia ahead of other nations. They have a “glide system” that affords great manoeuvrability and could make them impossible to defend against.

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Mounted on top of an intercontinental ballistic missile, the Avangard can carry a nuclear weapon of up to two megatons. Russia’s defence ministry has released video of the Avangard system, but weapons experts have expressed scepticism about its effectiveness. The New START accord, which expires in February 2021, is the last major nuclear arms control treaty between Russia and the US.