A photograph published online shows Russia’s Filin cruise missile mounted on a ground-based launcher, with a solid-fuel booster attached beneath its fuselage. It is the first reported image of the weapon in this launch configuration. The booster is intended to provide the initial acceleration; after it separates, the missile’s small R500 turbojet is reported to power the cruise phase. The image adds a visible detail to earlier Ukrainian intelligence reporting, but does not establish how the missile is launched operationally or from what vehicle.
The photo’s location and date are not known.…