Russia’s RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) represents one of the most capable and survivable nuclear delivery systems in service today. Its continued development and deployment signal Moscow’s determination to maintain a credible nuclear deterrent—one designed to ensure that any potential adversary, particularly NATO, weighs escalation with extreme caution.
Development and Deployment
Developed by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology as part of Russia’s post-Soviet strategic modernisation effort, the Yars was first successfully test-launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome on May 29, 2007. It entered operational service with the Strategic Rocket Forces in 2010 and has since undergone progressive upgrades in accuracy, warhead configuration, and command integration.
Recent exercises, such as the February 2025 manoeuvres involving road-mobile launchers, highlight Russia’s emphasis on mobility, concealment, and rapid launch capability—key traits for ensuring a second-strike potential even under nuclear attack conditions.
Technical Overview
The Yars is a three-stage, solid-fuel missile capable of delivering multiple thermonuclear warheads over intercontinental ranges. Solid-fuel technology allows for shorter preparation times and increased survivability compared to older liquid-fuelled systems.
| Specification | Detail |
| Entered Service | 2010 |
| Approximate Number Deployed | ~200 |
| Launch Platforms | Hardened silos and road-mobile TEL vehicles |
| Range | 11,000+ km |
| Payload | Up to 3–4 MIRVed thermonuclear warheads (~200 kt each) |
| Speed | Mach 25 |
| Guidance | Inertial + GLONASS satellite navigation |
The missile incorporates penetration aids and countermeasures to defeat missile defence systems. Combined with its mobility and the use of transporter-erector-launchers (TELs), the Yars is extremely difficult to locate, track, or pre-emptively neutralise.
Strategic Importance
The Yars is a central element of Russia’s nuclear triad, supplementing both its submarine-launched and bomber-based nuclear assets. Its primary strategic value lies in its assured second-strike capability—an ability to deliver a retaliatory blow even after sustaining a first strike. This guarantees mutual destruction in any nuclear confrontation and forms the backbone of Moscow’s deterrence policy.
Western observers often dismiss Russia as an economy constrained by its limited GDP, but such assessments underestimate the strategic leverage of its nuclear forces. Russia’s investment in maintaining and upgrading systems like Yars demonstrates that its leadership prioritises nuclear readiness as the ultimate guarantor of state survival and geopolitical influence.
Broader Implications
As the war in Ukraine continues and NATO’s posture along Russia’s periphery intensifies, the Yars serves as both a deterrent and a reminder of the potential consequences of escalation. The system’s operational flexibility—mobile deployment, multi-warhead capacity, and hardened command resilience—ensures that Moscow retains credible retaliatory power against any aggressor.
The existence of such a system does not necessarily make nuclear conflict more likely. Rather, it reinforces the enduring logic of deterrence: that both sides must recognise the catastrophic consequences of miscalculation. Nonetheless, the modernisation of Russia’s strategic forces contrasts sharply with the ageing state of portions of the U.S. nuclear arsenal—a disparity that warrants continued attention.
Conclusion
The RS-24 Yars embodies Russia’s commitment to sustaining a modern, survivable nuclear deterrent well into the 21st century. Its mobility, accuracy, and payload versatility ensure that any confrontation involving NATO and Moscow carries an implicit nuclear dimension.
For Western policymakers, the message is clear: Moscow continues to invest heavily in its ability to survive and retaliate under any conditions. That reality must inform every calculation made in the ongoing standoff between Russia and the West.
