👉 The Belle missiles were a series of Russian intermediate-range ballistic missiles developed in the 1980s and deployed primarily during the Cold War. Named after the French Riviera's Belle Époque era, these missiles were designed to deliver nuclear warheads over long distances, capable of reaching targets in Western Europe and the United States. The Belle missile family consisted of several variants, including the Belle 1 (Kinzhal), which was a shorter-range variant optimized for regional defense, and the more powerful Belle 2 (Kinzhal-2), which had a longer range and higher payload. These missiles were notable for their stealth capabilities, advanced guidance systems, and the ability to evade early warning radar networks, making them a significant threat during periods of heightened tensions between the Soviet Union and NATO.
