Putin humiliated as missile launch fails

According to Ukrainian intelligence services, Russia was preparing to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with nuclear capability, the RS-24 Yars, on the night of 18 to 19 May. The operation was apparently intended to intimidate Kyiv and NATO member countries.

Moscow was planning a so-called “training and combat” launch of an RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile, according to media outlet L’Indépendant. Ukrainian military intelligence claims the missile was equipped with a “dummy” warhead. The launch was supposed to take place near the village of Svobodny in the Sverdlovsk region, but it has now emerged that it failed.

According to the specialist Ukrainian website Defense Express, any operation of this sort would likely have been captured by witnesses, as the target city has around 350,000 inhabitants. To date, no video of the RS-24 Yars launch has been published. It remains unclear why the missile could not be launched.

No wish to reveal incompetence

As reported by L’Indépendant, all missiles undergo checks prior to flight. This phase is essential to identify any potential faults and may prevent a launch from going ahead. Before the phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, Moscow likely didn't want to expose the unreliability of its strategic nuclear weapons, according to Defense Express, which adds that an emergency immediately after take-off cannot be ruled out. “Very likely, something might have gone wrong.”

(MH with Manon Pierre - Source: L’Indépendant - Picture: ©picture alliance / Anadolu | Ramil Sitdikov / RIA Novosti)