Russia: Satellite images reveal missile development and production facilities – What Analysts Appreciate

It has put in place in recent years the development of new missile systems with the President introducing a new “nuclear doctrine” against the background of the war in Ukraine and the total confrontation with the West. Vladimir Putin and other top officials’ statements on the construction and development of new missiles in Russia prove new satellite images, revealing the construction of new facilities and infrastructure. In the , published by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS), large expansions are seen in five complexes where Russia manufactures solid fuel rocket engines , indicating that the Kremlin plans to significantly boost production. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS Fabian Hinz, an investigator at the IISS, located the bands using reports of Russian media and declassified CIA documents from the Cold War era listing facilities, where the Soviet Union produced solid fuel rocket engines. Locations are located in Siberia, Rostov, southern Russia, in areas outside Moscow and St Petersburg but also in Perm, western Russia. Satellite photos taken by Maxar Technologies in July, September and October, show extensive new constructions next to buildings that Hinz identified as solid fuel research and production facilities. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo “The satellite images suggest that the capacity to produce solid fuel rocket engines seems to be a focus of this effort, ” Hinz wrote in his report. Extending the production of solid fuel rocket engines could help the Kremlin meet the demands of war without having to count on external suppliers such as North Korea or Iran. Solid fuel rockets are often easier and safer in operation, especially on the battlefield. They are also cheaper, stored for longer periods and require less logistical support. Russian rockets and production barriers Hinz noted that satellite photos provide no indication of the types of solid fuel rocket engines that Russia can boost, i.e. whether they will be conventional or nuclear missiles. Russia is building an extensive range of solid fuel missiles, including missiles for the Grad and Uragan systems, anti-tank missiles, advanced S-300 and S-400 air defense missiles and short-range ballistic missiles Iskander-M. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS Moscow’s nuclear arsenal also includes intercontinental solid fuel ballistic missiles such as Topol-M and the Bulava submarine launcher. The IISS investigator stated that any Kremlin plan to boost ballistic missile production could address significant obstacles. The West will impose more sanctions to reduce Moscow’s production capacity and it will be difficult, due to export controls, to find high-tech machinery and basic raw materials required for solid fuels. Russia also faces a shortage of skilled labour, because many younger workers left the country after the Russian invasion of Ukraine to escape the army, while others are already in the army.