This site, like the Perm facility, may have been involved in the production of post-boost-vehicle motors for the RT-2PM Topol According to Russian press reports, the Morozov Plant currently produces motors used in the Iskander and Topol-M systems.While Russian press reports and declassified CIA documents provide some insights into the types of motors historically and currently produced at these sites, the specific purpose behind the recent facility expansions remains unclear.Identifying the purpose of the expansion is complicated by the possibility that multiple facilities may be involved in the development and production of motors for a single missile system, a scenario documented by the CIA for Soviet ICBM development. This ambiguity makes it difficult to attribute a specific expansion to a particular missile programme or category of missiles.Other questions concern the status of production of key precursor chemicals required for solid-propellant production. According to Russian press reports, Russia currently relies on a single producer of ammonium perchlorate, a critical oxidizer used in most modern composite propellants. The entity, Federal State Enterprise ‘Anozit’ in Novosibirsk Oblast, announced plans in 2022 to renovate its ammonium-perchlorate production line. However, satellite imagery has yet to show any significant changes at the facility. It remains unclear whether Russia sources this key chemical from alternative suppliers.Russia’s import of ballistic missiles from Iran and North Korea suggests that its SRBM production is insufficient to meet its demands for war in Ukraine. Expanding its solid-propellant manufacturing capabilities could enable Russia to replenish and enhance its existing arsenal of key systems deployed in Ukraine. In the longer term, this expansion could also strengthen Russia’s capacity to develop systems capable of posing a threat to NATO members.
