Topol

Topol is a term of Slavic origin meaning “poplar” and is used as a surname as well as to designate several distinct subjects in different fields. In general, it can refer to people who bear the name or to specific weapons systems developed in the Soviet and Russian missile programs.

Chaim Topol (1935–2023) was an Israeli actor whose international fame grew from his portrayal of Tevye in the 1971 film Fiddler on the Roof. He also performed on stage and in films in Israel and abroad, earning broad recognition for his work. Topol received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (1972) and enjoyed a long career in film and theater.

In a military context, RT-2PM Topol, known in the West by the NATO designation SS-25, is a road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile developed by the Soviet Union and later used by Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces. It employs solid-fuel propulsion and is designed for mobility to improve survivability in a nuclear deterrent force. The system was introduced in the latter part of the 20th century and has undergone various modernization updates.

Topol-M, designated by NATO as SS-27, is a later and more advanced variant that emerged in the 1990s. It represents an evolution of the Topol family with improvements in accuracy and survivability, including road-mobile and silo-based deployment options. Topol-M has been deployed in Russia and forms part of the broader modernization of its ICBM force.

See also: the word Topol as a Slavic term for poplar, and its use as a surname in various Eastern European communities. The name is linked in popular culture and defense contexts primarily through the Israeli actor Chaim Topol and the Russian ICBM family associated with the Topol designation.