Moscow fuels tensions in region with new Smerch MRLS missiles for Armenia

On September 14, Caliber.Az reported in its article, "Crisis on display: Real dynamics of Russia-Armenia-West relations" that Russia has renewed its arms deliveries to Armenia.

The latest confirmation reveals that Moscow has commenced the shipment of substantial quantities of missiles for the Smerch Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) to Yerevan. This action is expected to exacerbate Armenia’s aggressive and revanchist intentions.

The rearmament of the Armenian armed forces by Russia occurs amidst "serious disagreements" between Moscow and Yerevan. However, this situation appears to be a political spectacle aimed at redirecting global attention, particularly Azerbaijan's, with which Russia signed a Declaration of Allied Interaction in 2022.

Despite attempts by Russia to downplay the nature of these arms shipments, Baku is fully cognizant of the situation and has already drawn its own strategic conclusions.

Specifications of Smerch MLRS missiles:

• Missile types: 9M55K, 9M55F, 9M55S, 9M528, and others.
• Missile length: approximately 7.6 meters.
• Caliber: 300 mm.
• Firing range:
  • Minimum: 20 kilometers.
  • Maximum: 70 kilometres (for standard missiles).
  • With upgraded missiles: Up to 90 kilometres.
• Missile weight: about 800 kg.
• Warhead mass:
  • Fragmentation missiles: approximately 243 kg.
  • Cluster rockets with submunitions: approximately 280 kg.
• Types of warheads:
  • Fuzed fragmentation.
  • Cluster rockets with shrapnel-fragmentation warheads.
  • Thermal (incendiary).