Some new weapons in the Russian arsenal, although tactical in strict classification, are also capable of strategic missions. Of particular importance in this class are the many types of rockets and missiles Russia has developed, for both offensive and defensive tasks, including the Iskander (featured in this report), and the still newer Kalibr, Kinshal, the BrahMos missile, one of the fastest supersonic cruise missiles in the world, and the still faster Avangard hypersonic system, reputed to reach speeds exceeding 20x the speed of sound. The Avangard is a new type of ICBM, a "glide vehicle" distinguished not just by its speed and reach, but maneuverability. Military experts regard missiles in this category as unstoppable. It must be noted the Russians have attained significant advances in the field of rocketry and air defence due to their need to neutralise Western, and especially American, air superiority. Thus, it was the Soviets and later the Russians who developed the now world-famous S300 and S400 (Triumf) missile system, an anti aircraft weapon still unmatched in Western arsenals. And it was the Soviet Union that, through its advanced rocket technology, put the first cosmonaut (Yuri Gagarin) in orbital trajectory in the Sputnik in the late 1950s, and continues to this day to occupy a prominent place in the cutting edge of space technology. Unfortunately, the semi-deranged imperialist policies pursued by the US ruling class, and its quest for a nuclear first strike capability, leaves countries like Russia no option but to develop advanced defensive and deterrent systems to maintain mutual assured destruction. That's the kind of insane world the imperialists impose on the rest of humanity.