Russia can theoretically shoot down near-Earth satellites with its special systems. However, until February 24, the Kremlin had conducted only one successful launch of an anti-satellite missile.
Today, the Russians have more important tasks than producing expensive anti-satellite missiles. About this Channel 24Defense Express military expert Ivan Kirichevsky said.
The expert noted that the Russians have had anti-satellite missile technology since Soviet times, but after the collapse of the USSR, they did not develop this direction.
Theoretically, the Russians have “wunderwaffles” somewhere in reserve, which they call the S-500 “Nudol”. This is a development since Soviet times, which is an anti-satellite missile. She was supposed to shoot down satellites. Shortly before the war, they had one test successful launch when the Russians shot down their decommissioned satellite, but this was a single launch. – the expert believes.
According to him, after the avalanche effect of sanctions, the Russians have urgent problems.
“They would be able to cope with the task of restoring the stock of missiles that they fired at Ukraine. This will much more complex, although those missiles are much more primitive in technology. Theoretically, they can produce missiles, but not at a rapid pace,” Kirichevsky added.
Russia draws attention to senseless projects
He noted that the Russians had recently announced the signing of a one-year contract for the manufacture of several dozen Onyx-type missiles – supersonic missiles, with which they previously fired at the Odessa region. “They fired at least 40 such missiles in the Odessa region and it will take them a year to restore the stock. Judging by the Kh-101 and Kh-555 and Kalibrov strategic missiles, the situation is similar. During the same Army-2022 contract, they had to publicly conclude emergency contracts for replenishment of stocks. That is, they will need not several months, but at least a year to restore, “the expert explained. At the same time, the specialist believes that Russia continues to waste resources on “meaningless projects”.
They want to produce the Zirkon hypersonic anti-ship missile. Why they need it now is not very clear, because they will not be able to shell Ukraine with it, and NATO is not afraid of them. Let's not stop them from doing such stupid things, – Kirichevsky summed up.
