Reuniting Europe

Discover Russia, and their ballistic missiles!

Posted by Georgi Gotev on 27/08/12

The Brussels metro is displaying advertisement paid by the airliner Aeroflot under the heading “Discover Russia”.

At first sight, a nice photo of Moscow.

But on a closer look, we can see trucks carrying ballistic missiles.

Maybe this is more a political message, rather than tourism advertising? Like “with Putin back in the Kremlin, this is the new Russia”?

At least one of the posters is displayed next to the EU institutions at Schuman square.

Frankly, I hope this is a blunder and that the posters will be quickly removed. But let’s see what happens…

P.S.

Or is it a sophisticated advertisement trick? Now the advertisement has gone viral, and everybody talks about Aeroflot…

P.S. A colleague told me the Schuman poster has been removed. The one at the photo taken yesterday is at Trone, I have no news from it.

P.S. N. 3. A Russian diplomat told me that the missiles are S-400, which is in fact an anti-aircraft weapon, and not ballistic missiles. He assured me that there was no political message in the advertising, only the photo has been taken on Victory Day, 9 May, when traditionally this kind of equipment is exhibited on the Red Square. And he encouraged me not to hesitate to fly Aeroflot next time I will go to Russia

Enlargement & Neighbours
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6 Responses to Discover Russia, and their ballistic missiles! »»

John Harmer

Comment by John Harmer | 2012/08/27 at 11:25:21

Some years ago about 2005, I visited the War Museum in Moscow. There was an impressive display of missiles, all of which were threatening.
On close inspection these missiles turned out to be American.
So do not jump to conclusion.
Perhaps Americas is the biggest threat to world peace. Not Russia
Sam Lowry

Comment by Sam Lowry | 2012/08/27 at 14:01:17

Ballistic? Hm… Looks like Точка-У. See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OTR-21_Tochka Operational range up to 150km.
Georgi Gotev

Comment by Georgi Gotev | 2012/08/28 at 13:57:40

Sam, I’m not a specialist, but I think these are Topol ballistic missiles. Photo was probably taken in 2009 http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2010/03/28/pass_the_arms_treaty/ Georgi
Mongo

Comment by Mongo | 2012/08/29 at 00:37:41

There are two anti-aircraft systems in the photo. The truck visible at the top of the photo with four cylinders on the back is part of the S-400 system. Specifically, it is a missile launcher.

The eight vehicles at the bottom of the photo are Pantsir-S1′s. The light colored circle you see on the back of the truck is a radar dome. You can just barely make out the eight missile tubes on either side of the radar dome.