On Saturday, April 26, 2025, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, posted a short video on his VKontakte (VK) social media profile from his visit to the 4th State Central Test Range (GTsP-4), more commonly known as the Kapustin Yar test range in the Astrakhan region. The footage shows a previously unseen cruise missile or possibly a new type of glide bomb.
Photo: Dmitry Medvedev via VK
There are no technical details available regarding the new weapon. The fact that it is located at the Kapustin Yar test range may indicate that it is still undergoing state trials.
In the footage presented, the airframe appears somewhat similar to the American Lockheed Martin AGM-158 JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile) cruise missile or the RTX AGM-154 JSOW (Joint Standoff Weapon) glide bomb. What exactly the new Russian weapon is depends on whether it has its own propulsion system — if it does, it would be comparable to the JASSM; if not, to the JSOW.
What can be observed are folding wings and a tail assembly consisting of a vertical stabilizer and two angled horizontal stabilizers.
It may be a type of low-cost alternative to the expensive Raduga Kh-101 cruise missiles (known by the DIA/NATO designation: AS-23 Kodiak), which have been widely used against Ukraine. On the other hand, it appears significantly smaller in size. The Kh-101 is carried only by strategic bombers such as the Tu-95MS and Tu-160M. During the war, the Russians developed new modifications of these missiles, revealed the existence of a new Kh-BD variant, and employed new Kh-69 missiles, as well as hypersonic weapons like the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal and the 3M22 Zircon. Due to wartime demands, Kh-101 production rates increased from about 420 units in 2023 to over 500 in 2024, with monthly production estimated at 40 to 50 missiles.
The missile or bomb presented during Medvedev’s visit appears to be a weapon intended for lighter aircraft, such as the long-range Tu-22M3 bombers, the tactical Su-34M/NWO, and multirole aircraft like the MiG-31K, Su-35S, or Su-57.
The published video footage also shows other types of weaponry, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as the Malva self-propelled howitzer. According to statements cited by the TASS news agency, Medvedev said that tests of the new, upgraded high-precision missile — whose launch he witnessed at the Kapustin Yar test range — will continue. He also spoke about the need to strengthen air defense and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities.
It is worth adding that the Kapustin Yar test range is a key site for testing Russia’s most important weapon systems, such as the recently unveiled Iskander-1000 ballistic missile and the Oreshnik system, which has been used in combat operations for propaganda purposes. In recent weeks, Russia has also been using a new drone or bomb called the Banderol (Russian for “parcel” — but possibly also a sarcastic reference to Ukrainian nationalist Stepan Bandera), which, according to unconfirmed reports, features a unified planning and correction module (UMPK) along with a jet propulsion system.
Video: Dmitry Medvedev via VK