Elements of the Elbrus missile defense system found by the Taliban. Video: https://t.co/KXDe1OONNG pic.twitter.com/bBG8wzePUE
— Ivan O'Gilvi (@o_gilvi) September 14, 2021
The Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) has discovered elements of Soviet 9K72 Elbrus tactical missile systems in the Panjshir Gorge, including R-17 ballistic missiles, writes Dambiev.
The OTRK 2K72 was produced in the Soviet Union in 1962-1987 and is still in service with a number of countries. In particular, the missile battalion of the Ministry of State Security of the Republic of Afghanistan had the Elbrus complex. It is clear that when stored in the open air, the missiles of the complex have long been out of order, and the expiration dates have long expired.
The single-stage liquid-fueled ballistic missile "Elbrus" has a take-off mass of 5.8 tons, is capable of flying 300 kilometers and can carry a thermonuclear charge - the payload of the rocket is about a ton. At the same time, the coefficient of probable deviation of P-17 is almost half a kilometer. The complex was used in a number of wars in the Middle East, the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia.
Anton Valagin
