Zeus To Fly Soon.

It is not a secret that Russia has some very advanced projects for space exploration/warfare in works. One of such projects which is being actively developed is the megawatt-class nuclear space-tug known as Zevs (Zeus). It's first flight is scheduled for 2024 and it is this tug which will take Russia to Mars. But this system is more advanced than that and it is one thing to read speculations on this, frankly, revolutionary space vehicle, totally another when Ria.Ru is given documentation and reports on it. Here is (in Russian) official report on capabilities of Zevs from yesterday. 

МОСКВА, 13 мая - РИА Новости. Российский космический ядерный буксир "Зевс" с мегаваттной энергодвигательной установкой можно будет использовать в системе ПВО страны для отслеживания летательных аппаратов и целеуказания средствам поражения, следует из материалов Исследовательского центра им. Келдыша (входит в "Роскосмос"), имеющихся в распоряжении РИА Новости.

Here is Ria's translation by English-language news agency: 

The Keldysh Research Center of the Russian space agency Roscosmos plans to use its Zevs (Zeus) nuclear power plant spacecraft for military purposes, reports RIA Novosti referring to documents of the center. It is reported that this orbiter intended for flights to the Moon and planets of the solar system could track the sky and detect air targets from orbit and transmit the information to defense systems. The Keldysh Center claims that Zevs could survey an area with a radius of 2,200 and 4,300 km using radar equipment (whose power varies between 50 and 200 kilowatts). With full power, radars will include all of Russia and parts of neighboring countries.Preliminary design development for the spacecraft is scheduled to be completed in July 2024. In early 2020 it was reported that the spacecraft will go into orbit in 2030.

Of course, the original Ria's reporting makes an emphasis on Russian-American negotiations on non-deployment of the space-based weapons, but you all know that such negotiations are not constructive and, as is the case with many other advanced weapons, Russia often is forced to come up with the answer to the American challenge. Zevs, it seems, will look like this (at least this is how its numerous, some official, models look like):

It is also clear that this system is capable of carrying much more than advanced radar but most likely some kinetic means for warfare in space and, possibly, even for deployment against ground targets. Looks like relatively soon we all will be treated to a vehicle which will be capable to take us beyond the Moon's orbit, to the planets of the Solar System. And, yes, will create a complete situational and tactical awareness for Russia's air and anti-missile defense. 

In yet another demonstration of a futility of the Western sanctions, Corporation Irkut, a manufacturer of Russia's MS-21 aircraft, received today fully Russian-made from Russia's own composite materials, wing console to be installed on the first serial MS-21 which will be delivered to customer soon. The rest of the composites used in MS-21 are also Russian-made. 

You see, many people are on record when stating that sanctions are good for Russia. In fact, those sanctions were so good that Russia today is, probably, the only nation in the world which approaches the first approximation of autarky. So, by the end of this year the first serial MS-21 will fly. As I said many times before--revelation mode.