Russian army loading RS-24 Yars ICBM into silo in Kaluga region.

Russia’s Yars intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) has been loaded into a silo at the Kozelsk missile formation in the Kaluga region in central Russia, the Russian Defense Ministry said: “In the run-up to the Strategic Missile Force Day, the Kozelsk missile formation loaded a Yars ICBM into the silo launcher”.
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RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) being loaded in its silo (Picture source: Twitter account of TobiAyodele)

The process took a few hours and was carried out with the help of a special transporter-loader. “This operation is important because it will allow yet another ICBM to enter combat duty as scheduled”, Commander of the Kozelsk missile formation Alexey Sokolov said.

The RS-24 Yars, also known as RT-24 Yars or Topol'-MR (NATO reporting name: SS-29 or SS-27 Mod 2,) is a Russian MIRV-equipped, thermonuclear armed intercontinental ballistic missile first tested on May 29, 2007, after a secret military R&D project. It is essentially the same missile as the Topol-M except the payload “bus” has been modified to carry multiple independently targetable warheads (MIRV). Each missile is thought to be able to carry up to 4 warheads, although there is uncertainty about what the maximum capacity is.

RS-24 is heavier than the current RT-2PM2 Topol-M, and some reports say can carry up to 10 independently targetable warheads. The 2007 tests were publicized as a response to the missile shield that the United States was planning to deploy in Europe. The RS-24 has been deployed operationally since 2010, with more than 50 launchers operational as of June 2017.

Yars does not appear to be a Russian word but the Slavic root yar is present, being a bank or steep ravine, consistent with the nomenclature of another newly fielded Russian missile, the RS-26 Rubezh meaning a boundary or outer limit. According to Sergey Karakaev, commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Yars is an acronym for "Yadernaya Raketa Sderzhivaniya", meaning "Nuclear Deterrence Rocket".

RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) being loaded in its silo (Picture source: Twitter account of TobiAyodele)

RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) being transported toward its silo (Picture source: Twitter account of TobiAyodele)