Conflicts & War

Russia ‘likely’ removing nuclear warheads from old missiles to hit Ukraine

London, Nov 26 (EFE).- Russia is “likely” removing nuclear warheads from old cruise missiles and firing them at Ukraine as its stocks of long-range missiles deplete, British intelligence services said Saturday.

The UK defense ministry said in a statement that open source imagery showed the wreckage of an AS-15 KENT missile, which was designed in the 1980s to carry a nuclear warhead.

“The warhead had probably been substituted for ballast,” the statement said.

“Although such an inert system will still produce some damage through the missile’s kinetic energy and any unspent fuel, it is unlikely to achieve reliable effects against intended targets.”

It added: “Russia almost certainly hopes such missiles will function as decoys and divert Ukrainian air defences.”

The statement from UK intelligence sources comes as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine entered its ninth month. EFE

er/jt

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