Missile explosion following failed launch at Yasny test site.
Astra observed purple smoke and orange clouds after the failed launch near Yasny, Orenburg; a sign that the rocket was using liquid fuel. The base involved is deploying Avangard.
According to Astra, local residents reported a failed rocket launch near the Yasny settlement in Russia's Orenburg region: the projectile exploded in mid-air, lost control, fell to the ground, and continued to explode due to unused fuel. Purple smoke and a large orange cloud appeared in the sky, indicating the rocket used liquid fuel with a nitrogen-containing compound as its primary propellant. The incident occurred near the Yasny test site.
Overview and context of the forces
Yasny is the base of a unit belonging to the 13th Missile Division of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces (RVSP). It is one of 11 locations on the territory of the Russian Federation capable of launching long-range ground-based missiles, including those equipped with nuclear warheads.
Technical findings from the scene
- The released video shows the explosion occurring inside the missile's compartment during flight, leading to a loss of control.
- The rocket crashed to the ground; the remaining fuel exploded shortly afterward.
- The large orange cloud that formed is characteristic of a liquid-fueled rocket; according to the description, the main propellant is a nitrogen-containing compound.
These details support the identification of the engine type and the oxidizing agent, but the source does not specify the type of missile involved in the incident.
Missile system at Yasny test range
According to publicly available information, this test site uses the Soviet-developed R-36M2 Voevoda intercontinental ballistic missile. Since 2019, the systems here have begun to be replaced with the Avangard hypersonic guided missile system.
In 2022, one of the regiments of the 13th Division was re-equipped with the Avangard system. By the end of 2024, Russian media quoted the Commander of the RVSP, General Sergei Karakayev, as saying that the re-equipment of the unit stationed there had been completed. He reported: “In 2023, the RVSP completed the deployment of missile regiments equipped with the Avangard system into combat readiness, putting the ground-based launchers into operation under the control of the Bugai unified command.”
Avangard delivery vehicle
The press reports indicate there are two types of missiles capable of operating as carriers for the Avangard hypersonic glide warhead:
- UR-100NOf the Soviet Union: produced until 1985, used as a cheap and readily available means of transport.
- RS-28 SarmatRussian: a promising vehicle.
The use of the RS-28 Sarmat is considered unlikely, as although Russia claims the missile will enter service from 2023, test launches have repeatedly suffered significant failures. Furthermore, the distinctive missile mass of the UR-100N ICBM can be recognized in a 2020 video released by the Russian Ministry of Defense showing the loading of the Avangard system. (According to Militarnyi)
Summary of related systems (by source)
| System | Role/Characteristics | Status by source |
|---|---|---|
| R-36M2 Voevoda | Soviet ICBMs previously used at the Yasny test site. | Starting in 2019, it began to be replaced by Avangard. |
| UR-100N | The Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle; produced until 1985; inexpensive and readily available. | Appears in a 2020 video showing the Avangard system being loaded. |
| RS-28 Sarmat | The Avangard delivery vehicle is very promising. | Its operational status is unlikely due to multiple failed test launches, despite claims of being operational since 2023. |
Initial technical and operational assessment
Based on the description and images: an aerial explosion, loss of control, and an orange cloud suggest a liquid-fueled missile. However, the source did not identify the specific type of missile involved in the incident. In terms of force organization, Yasny is currently linked to the 13th Division's Avangard re-equipment program, in which the UR-100N and RS-28 Sarmat are the launch vehicles mentioned in the press; the likelihood of using Sarmat at the present time is assessed as low according to the source.
The above facts are sufficient to outline the technical characteristics related to the incident (liquid fuel, flight and explosion procedures) and place the event in the context of the Avangard deployment at Yasny, but any conclusions about the specific type of missile need to be based on further confirmation from relevant authorities. (According to Astra; via Militarnyi)
