Ukraine’s intel likely blocked Kremlin’s attempt to escalate with Yars missile — Defence Express

He made the statement on Espreso TV.

“In fact, there was no Yars missile launch. It’s possible that in this case, the HUR acted ahead of time, and that’s precisely why the Russians saw no point in proceeding. The very fact that HUR issued such a warning is highly significant. Under normal circumstances, there is a communication line between the Americans and the Russians through which they notify each other 24 hours in advance about launches of this kind,” Kyrychevskyi noted.

According to the military expert, it appears that Russia was indeed preparing a provocation — potentially one that could have threatened not only Europe but the United States as well.

“After all, the Yars is a missile with a range of up to 10,000 kilometers, and it’s not about Europe — it’s about the U.S. So it’s possible that thanks to this warning from HUR, something far more serious than a mere provocation against Europe and the U.S. was averted,” Kyrychevskyi added.

• The RS-24 Yars is considered a well-tested missile, but in 2023, Russia failed to carry out its standard launch at least twice in a row — the missile veered off course.