Agreed, but, re: it being an "
ICBM"..
Hmm.. My only wonder is.. (and, PS - I'm betting they would use an '
IRBM', not an I
CBM, don't know Why they would 'waste' one of Those, since Both can carry / deploy 'MIRV's.. but..) I didn't think MIRVs (those 'bomblets') were usually 'visible' / streaking flame, or even 'sparks' like that.. That's part of the whole
Idea of 'em, IIRC.. Snip from Wiki:
"..Once [an ICBM / IRBM's] booster falls away, the remaining "bus" releases several warheads, each of which continues on its own unpowered ballistic trajectory, much like an artillery shell or cannonball. The warhead is encased in a cone-shaped reentry vehicle and is difficult to detect in this phase of flight as there is no rocket exhaust or other emissions to mark its position to defenders. The high speeds of the warheads make them difficult to intercept and allow for little warning..."
..Thus, these - to Me - look more like, perhaps, a 'Cluster-Incendiary-type Bomb', with perhaps
Larger than Normal payloads - but certainly not as big as they
Could be (ie: These 'impacts' / explosions didn't Look very large / like what you'd
expect to see MIRVs used for / delivering.. I'd expect to see HUGE,
highly-concussive explosions, w/ pronounced shockwaves (like JDAMs / others produce) with True MIRVs, even If 'non-nuclear'. Additionally, the Trajectories don't
Look consistent with ICBM MIRVs, ie:
..(and yah,
Those 'have streaks', but this was a Test-Shot - Those might have been intentionally-added 'tracers' for the purposes of This 'Demo Photo', etc.. )
So... I dunno.. Unless / until corrected, I'm going with some sort of IRBM-Cluster Bomb-dealeo.. Ergo:
Yet Another Putin 'Bluff'.. Not saying he will
Never 'totally Lose it' / Use Nukes, etc, but.. I'm.. dubious this
Was an "ICBM"..
.02
jd