Evidence Shows ‘Hand to Mouth’ Production of Russia’s Advanced Weapons

The Russian cruise rocket that slammed into a children’s infirmary successful Kyiv past period near down clues astir Russia’s defence manufacture aft much than 2 years of war.

The missile, a Kh-101 filled with astir 1,000 pounds of explosives, was made this outpouring earlier the attack, according to a study released connected Friday by a nongovernmental enactment that examined remnants of the missile. That suggests Russian forces are utilizing weapons similar it arsenic soon arsenic they rotation disconnected the accumulation line, the radical said.

But it is besides impervious that Russia has continued to nutrient precocious weapons contempt Western-led sanctions aimed astatine slowing their production.

The July 8 onslaught connected the infirmary killed 2 radical and injured much than 30, including 8 children, according to the hospital’s director. It was 1 of the worst days of unit against Ukrainian civilians successful months arsenic Russian forces targeted cities crossed the country.

The Kh-101 is the Russian military’s astir precocious cruise missile, launched from bombers successful Russian and Belarusian airspace. Ukraine has shot down galore of them, utilizing aerial defence missiles similar the Patriot supplied by the United States and different NATO members. Some of the missiles, however, person managed to gaffe done Ukrainian defenses.

Parts of the rocket that deed the infirmary were examined successful Kyiv connected July 30 by investigators from Conflict Armament Research, an autarkic radical based successful Britain that identifies and tracks weapons and ammunition utilized successful wars astir the world.