Latest news with #Kh-59
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Russia Struggling to Make Kh-59 Cruise Missiles, Ukraine Says
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Russia is struggling to meet its defense orders for one of its main air-launched cruise missiles due to component shortages caused by sanctions, according to Kyiv. Ukraine's Defense Intelligence (GUR) released data which outlined Russia's problems in producing the Kinzhal Kh-59M2 missile which is critical for its war effort. Newsweek has contacted the Russian defense ministry for comment. The aftermath of a Russian Kinzhal missile attack is shown in this image from the Holosiivskyi district in Kyiv on December 20, 2024. The aftermath of a Russian Kinzhal missile attack is shown in this image from the Holosiivskyi district in Kyiv on December 20, It Matters Kh-59 missiles are air-to-surface systems designed to strike ground and naval targets and they have often been used in tandem with Shahed drones by Russia to wreak havoc on Ukrainian infrastructure. Kyiv's claims that Moscow is struggling to produce them because of a lack of components reinforces the argument that continued sanctions targeting lower-tier suppliers could further reduce Russia's strike capacity. What To Know Ukraine's military intelligence released data on Wednesday which outlined the growing difficulties Russia has in producing the Kh-59M2/M2A missile, which has a two-stage solid-fuel propulsion system and a 120-mile range. The GUR said that of the 116 companies involved in making the weapon around 50 are unsanctioned by any country. But Russia is still unable to meet production deadlines for the missile due to a lack of domestic and imported electronic components as well as limited manufacturing capacity and schedule disruptions. Manufacturers have sometimes been forced to resort to mock-ups with the same dimensions and weight instead of installing the expensive active radar homing heads. But using old engines and components for the guidance systems has not helped, with Ukraine's defense intelligence saying on Telegram, "even cannibalizing old systems does not save the situation." Despite the production difficulties, dozens of other unsanctioned Russian firms that make electronic components, guidance systems and other key components of the Kh-59 are still operating. "Their products make it possible to adapt and modernize turbojet engines, which extend the service life of weapons that kill Ukrainian civilians every day," Ukraine's intelligence said. What People Are Saying Ukraine's Defense Intelligence on Telegram: "The constant shortage of domestic and foreign element base, limited production capacities and schedule disruptions force Russian enterprises to regularly report on non-compliance with the pace and deadlines for missile production." What Happens Next Ukraine's defense intelligence statement said that their findings show that sanctions work and called for expanding restrictions on firms that supply lower-level components can further reduce Russia's production of weapons. Kyiv and its allies will hope that sanctions on Moscow's war machine will remain part of the conversation as President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet for a summit in Alaska on Friday.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Over 260 Russian drones and missiles attack Ukraine overnight
The Russian troops launched a large-scale combined attack against Ukraine on the night of 6-7 March, with Ukrainian air defences destroying 34 Russian missiles and 100 drones, while 86 drones disappeared from radar. Source: Ukrainian Air Force on Facebook Quote from Air Force: "Anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare assets and mobile fire groups from the Air Force and the defence forces of Ukraine repelled the enemy's airstrike. Fighter aircraft, including F-16 and Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft, were also involved. It is worth noting that French fighter jets, which arrived in Ukraine only a month ago, repelled an enemy attack for the first time." Details: The Russian occupiers launched a combined attack with various types of air-, land- and sea-based missiles against Ukraine's critical infrastructure. The main focus of the attack was on gas production facilities. Early reports indicate that the Air Force's air surveillance troops detected and tracked 261 Russian drones and missiles – 67 missiles and 194 attack UAVs and decoy drones of various types, including: - 35 Kh-101/Kh-55 cruise missiles; - 8 Kalibr cruise missiles; - 3 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles; - 4 S-300 anti-aircraft surface-to-air missiles; - 8 Kh-59/69 cruise missiles; - 194 Shahed-type attack UAVs and other types of decoy drones. As of 10:00, 134 air targets were confirmed to have been shot down: - 25 Kh-101/Kh-55 cruise missiles; - 8 Kalibr cruise missiles; - 1 Kh-59/69 cruise missile; - 100 Shahed-type attack UAVs (other types of drones). Additionally, up to ten Russian missiles (not included in the statistics of those shot down) disappeared from radar. Eight-six Russian decoy drones disappeared from radar (without adverse effects). Background: Naftogaz Group, Ukraine's largest national oil and gas company, reported that overnight on 6-7 March, Russia launched a large-scale attack on gas infrastructure facilities, causing damage. This is the seventeenth such attack on gas production facilities since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. Russian troops hit a critical industrial facility in Ternopil Oblast without causing any casualties, but people were warned that the gas supply may be restricted. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine's Security Service files charges in absentia against Russian generals responsible for destruction of dam in Kharkiv Oblast
The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has filed in absentia charges against Russian Generals Oleg Tsokov and Oleg Makovetsky for ordering the detonation and subsequent destruction of the Oskil Reservoir dam in Kharkiv Oblast in autumn 2022. Source: Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office; Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) Quote from the prosecutor's office: "Under the procedural guidance of the Specialised Environmental Prosecutor's Office of the Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office, two Russian generals have been charged with ecocide and violations of the laws and customs of war committed by a group of individuals in prior conspiracy (Part 2 of Article 28, Article 441, Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Environmental prosecutors, along with SSU investigators, have identified two Russian generals as co-perpetrators of the ecological disaster, namely the destruction of the Oskil Reservoir dam in Kharkiv Oblast." Details: According to the investigation, one of the suspects, Oleg Makovetsky, is a native of the city of Chuhuiv, Kharkiv Oblast and a lieutenant general commanding the 6th Army of the Russian Air and Air Defence Forces within the Western Military District. The prosecutor's office noted that Makovetsky is already a suspect in multiple criminal cases for ordering airstrikes on Kharkiv and the surrounding oblast, including the bombing of the Epicentr shopping mall in the city. "It was under his orders that the Oskil Reservoir dam was struck with Kh-59 missiles and high-explosive aviation bombs (FAB-250/500/1500)," the statement reads. Photo: Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office The second suspect, Lieutenant General Oleg Tsokov, commanded the 20th Combined Arms Army of Russia's Western Military District (military unit No. 89425, Voronezh). During the Ukrainian counteroffensive in September 2022, Tsokov ordered the dam to be mined and blown up as Russian forces retreated from Kharkiv Oblast. On 12 September, engineering and sapper units under his command detonated the first gate shield and road section between the hydroelectric plant building and the gallery of stationary mechanisms. Meanwhile, aircraft groups commanded by Makovetsky provided air cover for the Russian sappers. Between 13 and 30 September, Russian bombers repeatedly attacked the dam using high-explosive and guided aerial bombs, including FAB-250, FAB-500, OFAB-500ShL and KAB-1500. The destruction of the dam triggered an environmental disaster at the national level. The reservoir lost up to 70% of its water, fertile soils were eroded, and unique natural ecosystems were put at risk of destruction. The irreversible desiccation of the Oskil Reservoir and flooding of the surrounding areas caused catastrophic changes in the natural and man-made ecosystem of the Siverskyi Donets River. Environmental damages are estimated at nearly UAH 4 billion (approximately US$100 million). Photo: Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office The crime scene contained indications of Russian aircraft munitions. In addition, Ukrainian forces downed a Russian fighter jet involved in the dam attack. The inquiry into the other Russian military personnel responsible for this war crime is still ongoing. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukrainian Navy intercepts Russian Kh-59 missile with US' ship-mounted VAMPIRE SAM
The Ukrainian Navy's official Telegram channel reported that a Sukhoi Su-57 multirole fighter launched a Kh-59 cruise missile at the port, which was intercepted by a surface-to-air missile fired from a patrol boat. The Ukrainian Navy used a ship-mounted VAMPIRE SAM to intercept and destroy the Kh-59 cruise missile launched at a commercial seaport on the Black Sea. On January 24, Russia launched a major missile and drone attack on multiple Ukrainian regions, including Kyiv, using over 60 aerial weapons. One target was the Pivdennyi port, a key hub for exporting grain and essential goods, making it a frequent target of Russian attacks, the Kyiv Post reported. Over the past year, the Kh-59 missile has become a frequent choice for Russian forces, with its deployment on the Su-57 Felon regularly highlighted by various observers. The open-source military intelligence commentator Osinttechnical determined that the missile system used was the L3 Harris 'Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment' (VAMPIRE) system, which deployed the laser-guided 70mm advanced precision kill weapons system (APKWS) missile. The VAMPIRE system is a modular, portable kit that can be mounted on any vehicle with a cargo bed, whether military or civilian. Installation is user-friendly, allowing a two-person team to complete it in about two hours using standard tools. Originally designed as ground-based, vehicle-mounted equipment, the VAMPIRE system sparked discussions in early 2024 about its potential integration with naval platforms and unmanned surface vessels (USVs), like the Magura V5 or Sea Baby drones. In practice, VAMPIRE has been deployed on various platforms, ranging from pickup trucks like the Toyota Tacoma to more heavily armored vehicles such as the up-armored HMMWV, demonstrating its versatile "agnostic" design. This incident indicates that Ukraine has adapted at least one patrol boat, likely a "Small Armored Artillery Boat" (SAB), into a mobile anti-missile platform. This adaptation may help counter the threat posed by missiles like the Kh-59, which are designed to evade detection. During nighttime or low-visibility conditions over water, the Kh-59 flies at a very low altitude of about 7 meters (23 feet) to avoid radar detection. It uses a combination of inertial navigation and a TV or electro-optical seeker for terminal guidance to its target. Additionally, the operation's success also highlights the coordinated efforts between naval and possibly air defense units, ensuring a comprehensive response to aerial threats. Furthermore, Ukraine's APKWS missile, a modified air-to-surface missile (ASM), employs the WESCAM MX-10 combined thermal imaging sensor and laser designator to track the cruise missile. The SAM's proximity fuse then detonates near the target, disabling or destroying the incoming Kh-59 missile. This advanced targeting system enhances the missile's effectiveness, particularly in challenging conditions like low visibility or nighttime operations, and can be of great help for Ukraine's defense efforts against missile threats.
