Russia’s R-500 cruise missile threat

The U.S. has accused Russia of deploying a ground-launched cruise missile that violates the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. The nuclear-capable R-500 may have a range of more than 1,000km

Suspected Iskander R-500 missile brigades

May 2007: R-500 test fired at Kapustin Yar

2009: R-500 goes into production 

2011: Missiles deployed to Luga

2013: Deployed to Kaliningrad

Apr 2015: Ukraine claims R-500s deployed to Crimea

500km range: INF bans cruise missiles with range between 500km and 5,500km

1,000km range

Moscow
RUSSIA
UKRAINE
POLAND
NORWAY
SWEDEN
FINLAND
UK
GERMANY
FRANCE
ITALY
St. Petersburg
Luga
Black Sea
Kapustin
Yar
Kaliningrad
Crimea (annexed by Russia)

500 miles
800km

Launch from highly-mobile trucks carrying two sub-sonic R-500s in canisters

Terminal guidance system

500kg warhead

Wing deployed in flight

Turbofan engine uses jet fuel

Solid-fuel booster

Sources: IISS, Stratfor, U.S. National Institute for Public Policy, FAS, Pravda