Russia to Modernize Moscow Missile Defense
To be ready in 2022, the city's new defenses will rely on conventionally armed interceptors in place of the Cold War-era nuclear missiles
The MMZ Avangard factory in Moscow produced the massive A-925 (51T6) nuclear-tipped interceptor in the early 1990s. The weapon is no longer in use. (photo: MMZ Avangard via Vladimir Karnozov)
The MMZ Avangard factory in Moscow produced the massive A-925 (51T6) nuclear-tipped interceptor in the early 1990s. The weapon is no longer in use. (photo: MMZ Avangard via Vladimir Karnozov)

Speaking at a top-brass conference on June 19, Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu said that development of the S-350 Vityaz medium-range SAM (surface to air missile) is now complete, and that of the Pantsyr-SM point defense system will be finalized by 2021. More importantly, the modernization of the missile defense system protecting the “Central Industrial Region” around Moscow will be completed in 2022, some two to three years ahead of an earlier schedule. The minister put this modernization on the list of high-priority tasks set before the Russian Air and Space Force (VKS).


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