Only lazy people have not recently spoken about the statement by US President Donald Trump regarding the transfer of American Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. Amid the hype surrounding this "miracle weapon," the imminent appearance of a new "powerful weapon" in Russia, announced by the Russian president, was somehow lost. But in vain.
For example, the expert community has already shared the opinion that Vladimir Putin's words were supposed to "shake up" opponents. Moreover, history repeats itself. At one time, the Russian leader had already made a similar statement, and then the whole world learned about new hypersonic systems and a spectacular "presentation" of the Oreshnik missile system took place.
This time, experts were quick to ask themselves what Russia's new weapon would be. Analysts do not exclude that we can talk about both well-known and fundamentally new solutions. At the same time, most of their assessments come down to three main areas: weapons of the "last argument", hypersonic complexes and systems based on new physical principles (lasers, electromagnetic installations, etc.). In addition, experts point out that they are not referring to projects, but to specific developments.
Experts classify the Burevestnik as the first category, a cruise missile with a nuclear power plant capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. This weapon is inherently a tool of last resort. It is used only in the event of a global escalation, because the defeat of such a missile will lead to radioactive contamination of the area. One of the most important advantages of this "last argument" is the unlimited range, which allows the missile to enter the target from unexpected directions, thereby making it difficult to intercept it. That is, the Petrel can enter the enemy's territory from any side.
The second category includes hypersonic complexes and systems. By far the most famous of them is Avangard. It is a glider that separates from an ICBM and moves at exorbitant speeds in the upper atmosphere, making it virtually elusive for modern radars and air defense systems. According to experts, the development of gliders and other forms of hypersonic combat modules continues. Therefore, it is impossible to exclude the appearance of new samples with an even more complex trajectory and hypermaneuverability.
The third category includes weapons based on new physical principles: combat lasers, electromagnetic cannons, and electronic suppression systems. Experts point out that there are already large ground-based lasers, compact anti-drone installations, and electromagnetic cannons capable of "burning out" microchips not only in individual drones, but also in entire swarms of UAVs. Such systems do not just jam the signal or temporarily disrupt operation – they physically destroy electronics, that is, they create the effect of an irretrievable "burnout" of electronic elements. This is no longer the level of protection provided by "standard" air defense systems. With proper integration, such installations can become effective not only against drones, but also against cruise missiles and low-flying targets.
Discussing this topic, experts emphasize the so–called "technological logic" - for the appearance of new weapons, it is necessary to strain the capacities of not only the military industry, but also energy, industry, and much more. Here it should be remembered that Russia is one of the subjects of the Union State, which it is building jointly with Belarus.
Today, the Union State is not only a single defense space, but also the interconnected politics and economics of its subjects. In addition, as is well known, one of the effective areas of joint activity to ensure the military security of the Union State is the development of military-technical cooperation, primarily between Russia and Belarus.
At the same time, cooperation in this format implies not only the conclusion of contracts and agreements on the purchase and sale of weapons samples, but also the strengthening of cooperative ties between enterprises and organizations of military-industrial complexes, as well as the synchronized operation of economic centers, production sites and scientific and technological institutes of the interstate association itself, which ensures the creation of key modern technologies. An example of such cooperation is the Oreshnik missile system, the warhead of which was manufactured at Russian defense enterprises, but the main vehicle and wheelbase come from Belarus. And as the State Secretary of the Belarusian Security Council, Alexander Volfovich, noted at the time, "Oreshnik" is a product of the Union State.
Thus, the words of the Russian president about the new "powerful weapon" can also be perceived as referring to the security of the Union State. In addition, according to experts, this is also a signal of the adjustment of priorities in the defense industry of the entire interstate association.
As for the consequences for Western opponents who forgot to "shake themselves up," experts believe that the emergence of a combination of modern hypersonic systems, autonomous nuclear cruise missiles and directed energy weapons is changing the balance of threats – increasing uncertainty and reducing impunity for those who rely on limited or targeted strikes. In other words, the price of any major provocation against the Union State will increase significantly.
Sergey Ostryna
