Russia unleashes its ‘Terminator’ tank and hypersonic ‘missile killer’ in massive ‘invasion’ war games

VLADIMIR Putin unveiled his “Terminator” tank and hypersonic missiles during war games today held in both Russia and its former Soviet member Belarus.

The state-of-the-art war machines were supplied to armed forces during military drills which are widely considered to be a show of force towards NATO and the EU.

East2West

The launch from the S-500 Prometheus defence system[/caption]

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The 12-ton Uran-9 tank was shown off during military exercises in Russia and Belarus[/caption]

East2West

The S-500 missile system can bring down enemy aircraft and missiles up to an altitude of 125 miles[/caption]

The Zapad-2021 exercises – or West-2021, in English – were launched by the Kremlin on September 10 as a warning to the West.

They involve a total of 200,000 troops, 80 warplanes and helicopters, plus some 760 pieces of military equipment including 290 tanks, and 240 artillery pieces, multiple launcher rocket systems, and mortars.

Reports claim that the drills took place across several training grounds in Russia and Belarus – close to their neighbour’s borders.

Pictures from the exercises show the Uran-9 – a high-tech unmanned combat ground vehicle designed to assist combat and carry out reconnaissance.

The 12-ton robot is kitted out with Ataka guided weapons, anti-tank missiles, Shmel-M flamethrowers, and a 7.62mm machine gun.

The tank, which is remotely piloted by an operator, has the ability to destroy targets as far as 16,404 feet away.

Military officials hope that the robot tank will be able to take on tasks that would be too dangerous for soldiers – allowing the number of casualties to be reduced on the battlefield.

At least one Uran-9 was deployed and tested in the Syrian Civil War in 2018, though it is unclear if it ever participated in combat.

Also featured in the games was the S-500 Prometheus anti-aircraft missile system.

The S-500 surface-to-air defence system is designed to bring down enemy aircraft and missiles up to an altitude of 125 miles.

They can destroy all incoming Western hypersonic missiles including in near space, its designers have said.

“The state tests have been just completed, and the first deliveries of the (S-500) system have begun,” Russia’s deputy premier Yuri Borisov said after the successful military drills.

He went on to say that Russia will later export the system – probably starting with India – but “not for the next few years”.

Footage from yesterday showed S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems and Pantsir-S air defence missile-gun complexes in action.

Carried out in the Astrakhan region, the drills – which also included the Triumph air defence system – were part of this year’s war games.

The latest trials at Kapustin Yar range highlight the feverish pace of Russia’s military modernisation which continues despite Russia’s economic woes.

In June Putin put his arsenal of “invincible” hypersonic missiles on combat alert in a chilling warning to the West.

That includes the Mach 8 Zirkon cruise missile, which can carry nuclear warheads and hit a target 220 miles away.

And Russia warned of dire consequences if the US were to deploy its own hypersonic weapons – currently under development – in the region.

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At least one Uran-9 was deployed and tested in the Syrian Civil War in 2018[/caption]