Russia used several precision standoff missiles to hit key targets on Day 1 of its invasion of Ukraine, which claimed the lives of 137 civilians and military personnel
An elderly local citizen stands between debris of his house in the aftermath consequences of Ukrainian shelling, in the territory controlled by pro-Russian militants, eastern Ukraine. AP
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.
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.
File image of Smerch multiple launch rocket systems in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region. AFP
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.
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.
File image of Russian Iskander-K missile launching during a training launch as part of the Grom-2022 Strategic Deterrence Force exercise. AFP
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 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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