Russian Military Tests Anti-missile, Anti-satellite Defence System

The Russian military conducted a test launch of a new anti-missile missile defense system at a test site in Kazakhstan, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

The missile is speculated to be the 14Ts033 "Nudol” which can intercept inter-continental ballistic missile as well as knock down satellites in low earth orbit.

"At the Sary-Shagan training ground (Republic of Kazakhstan), the combat crew of the air and anti-missile defense forces of the Aerospace Forces successfully carried out the next test launch of a new missile of the Russian anti-missile defense system," the ministry said in a statement on its website.

"After a series of tests, the new anti-missile missile system of the ABM system has reliably confirmed the inherent characteristics, and the combat crews successfully completed the task, hitting the conditional target with the specified accuracy," said Major General Sergei Grabchuk, commander of the anti-missile defense of the Aerospace Forces.

While the missile defence  system was not named in the release, Russian media speculated that the missile could be the long-range (trans-atmospheric) interceptor missile 14Ts033 "Nudol." The 14Ts033 is a two-stage anti-missile can be a weapon for the new A-235 missile defense system, which is being developed in addition to the A-135 complex deployed around Moscow.

Information via Interfax:

In June 2017, Sergey Boev, the general designer of the missile attack warning system, said that the A-135 missile defense system was being modernized. Over the past years, the RF Ministry of Defense has repeatedly reported on successful tests of a new anti-missile missile defense system at the Sary-Shagan training ground.

In April 2020, the head of US Space Command, John Raymond, said the testing of a Russian missile defense system posed a challenge to US interests in near-Earth space. According to him, this Russian system is capable of destroying satellites in low orbit.

Major General Grabchuk said in January 2020 that work is be3ing carried out on promising interceptor missiles, a transition to a modern element base is taking place, high-performance specialized electronic computing facilities are being put into operation.

Moscow's missile defense system is provided by a second generation system, which has been on alert since 1995.

"At present, the system is capable of repelling a limited strike of existing and prospective intercontinental and medium-range ballistic missiles. As for existing and promising ballistic missiles of third countries, their interception is not difficult for our missile defense system," the general said.

 In June 2019, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the modernization of Moscow's missile defense system is planned to be completed by 2022.