And thus question Western estimates of its missile stocks. On February 24, his army appeared to have 3,000 supply vehicles of all types, including Kalibrs, Iskanders and Kh-101s capable of carrying nuclear warheads. reports Le Monde. And according to experts, more than 2,500 were used, more than 150 of which were fired on the first day of the attack on February 24.
So after the salvo at the beginning of the week, the Russians should have just under 500 missiles left. Not enough to sustain an ongoing bombing campaign in Ukraine. But the shares were probably underestimated. Above all, Moscow troops no longer use their expensive state-of-the-art missiles for their attacks, but rather obsolete missiles and drones.
poor man’s rocket
Indeed, since February 24, the Russians have bought new equipment that they themselves do not seem to be able to produce in quantity: kamikaze drones sold by Iran (called Shahed 136). Rudimentary, low-cost, automated aircraft with a range of 2,500 km, flying at low speed and low altitude and guided to their target by GPS. A kind of modern V1 or V2 (from the name of these Nazi flying bombs at the end of WWII) with the same characteristics: a poor man’s missile with low precision, but with strong psychological power on the target civilian population, fired by a combative from strategic options .
Some of the attacks on Monday were also carried out by anti-aircraft batteries or anti-ship missiles. Either projectiles derived from their use. So this seems to indicate that stocks of the latest Russian missiles are low. Especially since its industry, hit by Western sanctions and with a shortage of electronic components, is struggling to renew it. And in the future, it could only produce guided vehicles with a smaller range and precision.
According to Colonel and military historian Michel Goya, interviewed on RTLMoscow is “wasting” its missile power in Ukraine. “They scrape the bottom of the drawers” by firing projectiles derived from their use. Or old rockets from the 60s, “that lack precision”. Evidence of this lack of resources, the almost total absence of intervention of the Russian air force, capable of launching modern missiles with the ships. On Tuesday, Russia fired “only” 29 missiles and 14 drones. Less than ten this Wednesday, October 12 in the morning. Figure still dramatic, but clearly in decline.