Russian Missile Stockpile Revealed, Kyiv Says Numbers Stay Roughly Constant

Russia has a stock of around 900 high-precision, long-range missiles, Ukraine’s air force spokesperson said on Sunday.

Speaking to national TV, Yuriy Ihnat said the number was similar to that reported last month as Russia has been firing roughly the same number as it produces.

In December, Ihnat reported Moscow’s stockpile was around 870 and estimates Russia is producing around 100 missiles a month.

He said: “Russia still has about 900 high-precision long-range missiles. This is because the enemy used a large number of missiles during three major combined attacks from December 29 to January 8.

“Despite what they produce, they also lose missiles. That is why the number is at the same level now.”

Ihnat also said Russia was deploying fewer Kalibr missiles and was instead mainly using ballistic missiles which are harder for air defenses to shoot down.

Earlier this month, the deputy chief of Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR) said Russia is capable of producing increased numbers of missiles and loitering munitions, but had to immediately send almost all of them to Ukraine fresh from the factory because of shortages.

Skibitsky said Russia is capable of producing up to 115-130 strategic missiles a month but the actual number delivered varies.

He also noted that cruise missiles made in the third and fourth quarter of last year were discovered in Ukraine, an indicator that they came fresh from the factory. “

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This once again shows that their reserves are not very large, and what is produced is immediately used against our state,” he said.

During last year’s winter attack on Ukrainian infrastructure, Russia launched more than 1,100 cruise missiles and a similar number of Shahed kamikaze drones at Ukraine.

This winter, Russia’s attacks have neither been as frequent nor as large.

Ukraine’s air defenses have also been significantly improved by the provision on western-made systems such as the American Patriot, meaning far fewer Russian missiles have hit their targets.

There is one Russian missile in particular that Ukraine has yet to shoot down – the Kh-22 (sometimes referred to as the X-22).

What is the Kh-22 and why is it so hard to shoot down?

The Kh-22 "Burya" (Storm) is a Soviet-era long-range airborne supersonic cruise missile.

Armed with a nuclear or highly explosive fragmenting cumulative warhead, it was initially designed to destroy aircraft carriers and other large warships, or even groups of such carriers.

The Kh-22 family was developed in the USSR in the 1960s and specifically designed to be launched from Tupolev-22 bombers.

Later, both the missiles and the aircraft were modernized as part of the so-called "Kh-22 special air-to-surface missile complex."

Upgraded in the 1970s, the missile had an impressive speed of 4,000 kilometers per hour, a 1,000-kilogram warhead and a range of 500 kilometers.

Few missiles in the world could compete with the Kh-22 at that time. Flight and firing tests of the Кh-22 complex were completed in 1967.

In 1975, as an alternative launching platform, the Tupolev-95К-22 was made to carry three Kh-22 missiles.