After World War Two, there was rapid development of the missile weapons. They were one of the symbols of the Cold War - the political, military and economic confrontation of the socialist and capitalist worlds. In addition, the developers of missiles used the experience of Nazi Germany in this sphere.
In 1951 in the city of Dnipropetrovsk (current Dnipro), the Southern Design Bureau was established. During the further decades, it successfully developed missiles produced by the Southern Machine-Building Plant. This team of designers, led by the prominent scientist of the Ukrainian descent, twice Hero of the Socialist Labor Mykhailo Yangel, developed the single-stage medium-range ballistic missile R-12. In 1957, it was launched for the first time. Two years later the missile’s service started, and one more year later it was put on alert. Later the modification R-12U was designed. It could be launched from the silo.
The length of the R-12 was almost 23 meters with diameter over one-and-a-half meter and, with stabilizers - one meter more. The operational range was 2080 km.
In 1962, the R-12 missiles were used in Operation Anadyr. This was the secret relocation of the nuclear weapon from the USSR to Cuba so it was possible to attack the United States of America immediately. Because of it, the Caribbean Crisis appeared with the real danger of nuclear war. Fortunately, diplomacy managed to solve the crisis and the global tragedy did not happen.
Since 1976, the R-12 and R-12U missiles had been gradually withdrawn from service, being replaced by the intermediate-range ballistic missiles RSD-10 Pioneer, which is also exhibited here. According to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, signed on December 8, 1987, the R-12 missiles had to be destroyed. This decision had been implemented by May 1990.
During three decades of its existence, the R-12 missiles were also used as the space launch vehicles for artificial satellites of Earth, mostly for military purposes.
