Russia firing unarmed missiles to deplete Ukrainian air defense – Reuters

The Russians are firing unarmed cruise missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads at targets in Ukraine to try and deplete Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.

Reuters reported about this with reference to a senior U.S. military official.

He confirmed the data of British intelligence: Russia is allegedly removing nuclear warheads from missiles.

This regards a British intelligence report dated November 26. It notes that open-source images captured the Kh-55 missile, which had been designed in the 1980s as a nuclear delivery system.

(1/5) Russia is likely removing the nuclear warheads from aging nuclear cruise missiles and firing the unarmed munitions at Ukraine.

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) November 26, 2022

At the same time, it is emphasized that the warheads were probably being substituted with ballast. This system will still produce damage through the missile’s kinetic energy and unspent fuel.

“It’s certainly something that they’re trying to do to mitigate the effects of the air defense systems that the Ukrainians are employing,” the official told reporters.

The Kh-55 is launched by Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bomber jets.

The Kh-55 is equipped with a compact thermonuclear warhead with a 200Kt charge. With the specified accuracy, the power of the charge should ensure the destruction of the main targets – strategic centers of state and military administration, military industrial facilities, nuclear weapons bases, and missile launchers, including protected facilities and shelters.

Therefore, the supply of air defense systems is a priority for the United States and its allies. This was confirmed the day before by the Pentagon spokesman, in his answer to the question about the provision of the Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. However, he noted that the transfer of these specific systems is not in question and is not on the table.

As previously reported, the USA handed Ukraine two batteries of the NASAMS air defense system. After powerful missile attacks in November, the Pentagon stated that the systems proved to be effective and shoot down targets with 100% accuracy.

Ukraine is also using the German IRIS-T air defense system, which the Armed Forces of Ukraine received in October after the first massive strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

As previously reported, the United States asked Greece to give up the Russian S-300 and Tor-M1 SAMs, so that later, they would be transferred to Ukraine, probably through the United States.