The mysterious 9M729 missile: why the Russian "innovation" is neither new nor prohibited

This is about numerous publications (they copy each other), which report that after the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, Ukraine began to be attacked more often with some kind of prohibited 9M729 missile, which can carry nuclear ammunition. I will report on the essence of the issue: there is nothing new or particularly threatening there. As for the forbidden, it's not even funny.

There are more than twenty different modifications of cruise missiles in the Caliber family, which are distinguished by certain changes in design and dimensions depending on the purpose and launch conditions. Accordingly, there are sea-based, underwater, air-based, and land-based.

9М729 with a range of 2,500 km (like its copy 9М728 with a range reduced to 500 km) is part of the Kalibr family and is adapted to be launched from the Iskander ground complex, therefore it has another name - Iskander K. At the same time, almost all missiles of the "Caliber" family can carry YAZ. "Calibers", mostly sea-based, attack us from the first night in full scale.

But "Iskander K", which in terms of tactical and technical characteristics do not stand out from the naval "Calibers", is also, unfortunately, not news for Ukraine. But indeed, there is a noticeable increase in the number of launched 9M729 with a range of 2,500 km. Military logic suggests that it is more appropriate to launch pseudo-ballistic "Iskander M" from ground complexes.

Therefore, the increase in launches of "Iskander K" can be explained by one of two mutually exclusive reasons, choose which one you like better: And now about the sense in which the 9M729 cruise missile is prohibited. In 1987, R. Reagan and M. Gorbachev signed the INF Treaty — the Treaty on the Elimination of Medium- and Short-Range Missiles (more than 500 km).

But this only applied to land-based missiles! That is, neither existing Tomahawks (range 1,800 km) nor future Calibers (range 2,500 km) fell under it. And the "Iskander" complex - yes. That is why the pseudo-ballistic "Iskander M" has a range of 500 km. And the winged "Iskander K" with the 9M728 missile also flies at a distance of 500 km - all according to the INF Treaty.

However, vile Putin's Russia could not help waving! And there they quietly converted the sea-based "Caliber" with a range of 2,500 km into the land-based "Iskander" complex (this is the "mysterious" 9M729 missile), hoping that no one would notice. The Americans noticed, and D. Trump even during his first presidency terminated the INF Treaty in connection with its violation by the Russian Federation. Also, the 9M729 missile is prohibited by the treaty, which has not been in effect for a long time.