The agency has not officially confirmed that the missile was actually launched to hit targets in Syria but the two strategic bombers (the Tupolev Tu-95 Bear and the Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack) also seen in the video were outfitted with the Kh-101.
#SYRIA #FOOTAGE Su-30SM fighters met and escorted Tu-160's which launched cruise missiles over the #Mediterranean pic.twitter.com/8y5moFKh8A
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 20 ноября 2015
The Popular Mechanics praised the Kh-101 for its range, calling it the missile's "truly astounding feature."
#SYRIA #FOOTAGE Strategic aircraft with cruise missiles refuelled at night https://t.co/TJbwP08RJr pic.twitter.com/qmrI3L05L2
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 20 ноября 2015
The Kh-101, outfitted with a conventional payload, is rumored to have a range of up to 6,000 miles and is capable of travelling at a maximum speed of 270 m/s. Its accuracy is reported to be around five to six meters, making the missiles up to three times more accurate than its predecessors.
"The choice of the Kh-101 is an odd one. The Kremlin could have attacked undefended Islamic State targets equally well with older, obsolete missiles. Using the latest, most expensive cruise missiles seems like a waste – unless the real intent of the missile bombardment was to show off the Bear's newest claws," the media outlet assumed, apparently referring to the Tupolev Tu-95.
#SYRIA #FOOTAGE 18 #Kalibr-NK cruise missiles were launched from #Caspian Sea https://t.co/Mg0pss6jaK pic.twitter.com/4CXrKm9JLf
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 20 ноября 2015
In early October, Russia made headlines when the Caspian Fleet launched 26 Kalibr-class cruise missiles against ISIL targets locate over 930 miles away.
"The introduction of Russian long-range aviation, employing an entirely different family of missiles, is a combination of official retribution, publicity, and capability testing," analyst Michael Kofman noted in an article for the War on the Rocks website.
