Latest news with #Kh-101
News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Polish Jet Scramble, Russia Fires 300+ Drones on Ukraine, Putin Vows 'New Level" of Naval Firepower
Russian forces launched a combined missile and Shahed drone strike against Ukraine in the early hours of July 28, reports and officials said. At least four civilians were killed and 40 others, including children, injured over the past day, regional authorities reported on July forces launched 324 Shahed-type attack drones and other drones, four Kh-101 cruise missiles, and three Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles against Ukraine. These weapons primarily targeted Starokostiantyniv in Khmelnytskyi Oblast, Ukraine's Air Force reported. Reports have suggested the Starokostiantyniv airfield could host advanced F-16 fighter jets transferred to Ukraine by Kyiv's in response to Russia's attack, Poland scrambled its alert fighters on July 28, working with allied forces. The Polish Armed Forces announced on X that air operations were underway in Polish airspace due to Russia's missile activity in Ukraine. n18oc_world n18oc_crux0:00 INTRODUCTION2:25 PUTIN VOWS 'NEW LEVEL OF FIREPOWER' FOR NAVY 5:10 RUSSIA WILL FIRST FULFILL 'GOALS OF SPECIAL MILITARY OP'
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Russia, Ukraine trade overnight airstrikes
Shafaq News – Kyiv/Moscow Russia and Ukraine launched large-scale aerial attacks overnight, with Kyiv reporting the interception of more than 300 threats and Moscow announcing it had downed seven Ukrainian drones across multiple regions. According to Ukraine's General Staff on Monday, Russian forces fired over 330 aerial weapons—including Shahed drones, cruise missiles, and Kinzhal hypersonic missiles—mostly aimed at Khmelnytskyi, with Ukrainian defenses intercepting 309 drones and two Kh-101 missiles, while three Kinzhal ballistic missiles missed their targets. The barrage reportedly began at 7:30 p.m. on July 27 and stretched into the early hours of July 28, originating from Russian regions such as Bryansk, Kursk, Oryol, Lipetsk, and Saratov, with Starokostiantyniv and its key airbase appearing to be the main target. Ukraine responded with fighter jets, surface-to-air systems, electronic warfare units, and mobile teams to repel the assault. Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry reported that it shot down seven Ukrainian fixed-wing drones—four over Rostov, and one each in Oryol, Kaluga, and Bryansk. The strikes came shortly after a third round of direct talks in Istanbul, where both sides agreed to exchange 1,200 prisoners each, including both civilians and military personnel.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cluster Warhead Version Of Russian Kh-101 Cruise Missile Caught On Camera
Footage from a recent Russian bombardment of the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi provides us with what is likely our best look so far at a Kh-101 cruise missile fitted with a cluster warhead being used. While Russian forces have made extensive use of a variety of cluster munitions in the conflict, it's notable that the relatively high-end Kh-101 long-range cruise missile is also now being used in this capacity. It should be noted that cluster munitions, on various types of weapons, have also been widely employed by Ukraine in the conflict. Massive strike on Chernivtsi!Likely a Kh-101 missile with a cluster warhead. — 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝕯𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝕯𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔦𝔠𝔱△ (@TheDeadDistrict) July 12, 2025 Footage showing one of Russia's Kh-101 cruise missile strikes on Chernivtsi City. The missile was equipped with a cluster warhead. — AMK Mapping (@AMK_Mapping_) July 12, 2025 The video in question is said to show part of the Russian attack on Chernivtsi, in the region of the same name, in southwestern Ukraine, on the night of July 11. Apparently filmed from the window of an apartment building, a missile can be seen plummeting toward the ground at a steep angle, followed soon after by a string of detonations consistent with a cluster warhead. A large dark cloud of smoke then rises from the area. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine claims the Russian attack on Chernivtsi damaged administrative and residential buildings, as well as vehicles. Two people were killed, and 14 others sustained injuries of varying severity, the service reported. At night, the Russians attacked the city of Chernivtsi near the Romanian border with missiles and drones. They hit residential buildings and killed 4 made no sense. The city is 700 km from the front. Its residents do not pose any threat to Russia. With such terrorist… — Денис Казанський (@den_kazansky) July 12, 2025 Buildings in #Lviv and #Chernivtsi damaged in last night's is working with local authorities and partners to help respond to the needs of affected children and families. — UNICEF Ukraine (@UNICEF_UA) July 12, 2025 A building in Chernivtsi has been hit seemingly by a Kh-101 equipped with cluster munitions. 48.2565239, 25.9545555Source 1 2https:// @GeoConfirmed @UAControlMap @Cen4infoRes — Rocket Man (@Grimm_Intel) July 12, 2025 Under the most basic definition, cluster munitions are bombs, rockets, artillery shells, and other projectiles that, when fired, open in mid-air and release dozens or even hundreds of smaller weapons. These submunitions are most commonly high explosive charges or land mines, which are types covered by various international treaties, including the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which you can read more about here. The submunitions, or bomblets, are scattered over a wide area, the density of which can be programmed into the weapon. This scattering increases the physical area of destruction a cluster munition can inflict compared to a unitary warhead, with a tradeoff in destructive force on any one point. As well as the indiscriminate nature of the damage when employed on a populated area, significant numbers of the submunitions fail to explode on initial impact. They can then pose a hazard for rescue efforts and, if not made safe, can remain a hidden threat to civilians for many years. While we don't know with absolute certainty what weapon was involved, the only logical and known fit for the approach and subsequent detonation we see in the video is the version of the Kh-101 designed to dispense cluster munitions. Considering the distance of Chernivtsi from Russia — it is only around 20 miles from the border of NATO-member Romania — the long-range Kh-101 cruise missile is the only reasonable candidate. In addition, a cluster warhead is not currently known to be provided for any Russian cruise missile other than the Kh-101, although it is far from a new concept, with cruise missiles like the U.S.-made Tomahawk Land Attack Missile also previously having this option. The maximum range of the Kh-101 missile is reportedly between 1,864 and 2,485 miles. The missile apparently entered series production in 2010-11 and was subsequently used in combat during Russia's campaign in Syria, launched by both Tu-160 and Tu-95MS bombers. The first reports of a cluster warhead version of the Kh-101 cruise missile — which is known to NATO as the AS-23A Kodiak — began to appear last summer. Even before that, the relatively modern Kh-101 was established as the most important Russian air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) of the war. The first evidence of the cluster version of the Kh-101 being used appears to date from the night of June 7, 2024, when imagery emerged showing the spherical-shaped charge that is understood to comprise the cluster warhead alongside wreckage of the missile itself. Kyiv Mayor Klitschko showed cluster submunitions from Kh-101 missiles, with which the enemy attacked Kyiv at night. — Igor Kyivskyi (@Igor_from_Kyiv_) June 17, 2025 Police warn residents of Kyiv Oblast that during last night's missile attack, Russia used modernized Kh-101 cruise missiles with cluster-bomb warheads. Unexploded submunitions from the warheads of shot-down missiles have been found. Should not be touched, but reported to police. — Euan MacDonald (@Euan_MacDonald) June 12, 2024 Cluster munitions from new Kh-101 Russian cruise — Rob Lee (@RALee85) June 15, 2024 The existence of a cluster-warhead Kh-101 was also confirmed by Russian military bloggers, who highlighted the value of a weapon of this kind, especially for targeting Ukrainian airbases and air defense sites. According to the Milinfolive channel on Telegram: 'The lack of cluster warheads in Russian long-range cruise missiles, such as the Kh-101 or Kalibr, had an extremely negative impact on the effectiveness of missile strikes on enemy airbases in the first weeks of hostilities, when Ukrainian aviation was in the most vulnerable position, and the air defense system of the AFU could not shoot down even a fraction of the missiles.' Video showing a Russian cruise missile (likely a Kh-101) flying over — Rob Lee (@RALee85) May 7, 2022 Certainly, cluster warheads put these kinds of targets under considerable threat, but they are also relevant for attacking other soft targets spread out over an area, such as air defense systems, vehicle pools, ammo dumps, and others. These are precisely the kinds of targets Ukraine went after when they recieved cluster warheads-equipped ATACMS short-range ballistic missiles and used them to great effect. However, indications point to the indiscriminate use of the cluster version of the Kh-101 against a city with a population of more than 250,000. This continues a pattern of Russian attacks on civilian targets across Ukraine, using various types of missiles and drones, with such bombardment having stepped up notably in recent weeks. Still, the Kh-101s are prized weapons that are not in surplus after years of war in Ukraine, so using them selectively is clearly a top priority for the Russian Air Force. In other words, targets are not haphazardly chosen, civilian or military. As for launch platforms, the Tu-160 can carry up to 12 Kh-101s on rotary launchers in its tandem bomb bays. The turboprop-powered Tu-95MS can carry up to eight Kh-101s externally, since the missiles are too large for its internal weapons bay. Captured on camera a second before it hit a children's cancer hospital on Monday, the Kh-101 is one of Russia's most advanced cruise missiles and critical to its intensifying air strike campaign against Ukrainehttps:// — Financial Times (@FT) July 10, 2024 Different adaptations of the Kh-101 have also previously appeared in the war in Ukraine, apparently having been modified to meet the changing demands of the conflict. Since at least January 2023, Kh-101s have been noted employing a decoy capability in Ukraine, although a self-defense function of some kind is understood to have always been present in these missiles. The missile's ability to release infrared countermeasures flares in flight — usually during its terminal run-in to its target — has been noted on several occasions in videos. Very curious video of what appears to be a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile deploying flares/decoys during the — Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (@Archer83Able) December 29, 2023 There have also been reports of Russia fielding a second countermeasure-equipped Kh-101 subvariant. According to these accounts, the revised countermeasures are intended to 'jam' enemy surface-to-air missiles, which could suggest dispensers loaded with chaff or some kind of electronic warfare capability. A Russian Telegram channel revealed (and then deleted) photos of new version of the Kh-101 strategic cruise missile. Unlike the standard 'izdeliye 504A', the new '504AP' has added electronic countermeasures to jam anti-aircraft missiles. — Piotr Butowski (@piotr_butowski) November 16, 2022 There is also another warhead configuration that seems to have been tailored specifically for the war in Ukraine. Seemingly something of an ad-hoc solution, this involves fitting a second charge — reportedly containing steel fragments to increase the overall destructive effect — at the expense of fuel and therefore range. A fragmentation charge would render the weapon more effective against personnel and softer targets, as well as increasing its lethal radius and blast damage. It could also be useful if accuracy is more limited. The first claims that such a dual-warhead version of the Kh-101 was being used emerged at the end of March 2023 among Ukrainian military bloggers. It was claimed that one of the missiles had been shot down, revealing two charges, with a combined weight of around 1,760 pounds compared to around 1,000 pounds for the single warhead in the standard Kh-101. Firm evidence of a Kh-101 modified with a second warhead appeared in May 2024, as you can read about here. РФ для удару 8 травня взяла з конвеєру Х-101 з подвійною БЧ, зроблену в 2 кварталі 2024 року | Defense Express — DEFENSE EXPRESS (@DEFENSEEXPRESS) May 8, 2024 A downed Russian Kh-101 air-launched cruise missile with two warheads. See below for more — John Hardie (@JohnH105) May 8, 2024 Notably, the account from the Milinfolive channel suggests that it's possible that, in the cluster version, a dual-warhead configuration is also used, with one of the charges being a fragmentation warhead, and the other being the new cluster payload. Once again, even when striking a target in the far west of Ukraine, any reduction in the missile's range resulting from the revised, heavier warhead leading to a reduction in fuel capacity, would be academic. Sacrificing fuel (and thereby range) is not a concern for Russia so long as it's using Kh-101s to hit targets in Ukraine. After all, the basic Kh-101 can strike targets almost anywhere in Europe when launched within Russian airspace. Legally speaking, the use of a Kh-101 missile with a cluster warhead in a civilian area is a clear violation of international humanitarian law and potentially also a war crime. At the same time, with Russia and Ukraine having both opted out of signing the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits weapons of this kind, it will continue and likely expand in the conflict. As for the Kh-101, Russia is doing everything it can to up production of these weapons, which gives the Russian Air Force its only means of striking deep into Ukraine with a heavy warhead. Contact the author: thomas@
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First Post
09-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Russia launches largest aerial attack on Ukraine with 741 drones & missiles
Even as US President Donald Trump has sharpened his tone for the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin launched the largest aerial attack on Ukraine in the war so far with 741 drones and missiles. Russia targeted nearly all corners of the country. read more The photograph shows a building on fire from the Russian aerial attack on Ukraine involving 741 drones and missiles on the night of Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Photo by State Emergency Service of Ukraine via Ukrainian presidency) In open defiance of US President Donald Trump's sharpening tone, Russia on Tuesday night launched the largest aerial attack of the war on Ukraine. Russia attacked Ukraine with 741 drones and missiles on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday (July 8 -9) in the largest attack of the war. Even as the barrage covered nearly the entire country, Ukraine said the main target was the northwestern region of Volyn where Russia targeted an airfield and many industrial facilities near the city of Lutsk. See the map below that tracks all overnight attacks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 🔴 Russian forces have launched one of the most massive attacks on Ukraine to date tonight, with Lutsk and Zhytomyr being the primary targets. Preliminarily, the assault involved: - 540 to 620 Shahed drones or decoy drones - 6 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles - 4 Kh-101 missiles. — UNITED24 Media (@United24media) July 9, 2025 Out of 728 drones, Ukraine said it neutralised 296 drones and jammed 415 drones. Overall, along with seven cruise missiles, Ukraine said it took down 718 of the 741 missiles and drones with the use of air defence systems, electronic warfare systems, interceptor drones, mobile fire teams, and fighter planes. The attacks came hours after Trump said that Putin was throwing 'a lot of bullshit' at him. He also said that Putin was 'not treating human beings right' and that he was 'killing too many people, so we're sending some defensive weapons to Ukraine'. 'We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth. He's very nice to us all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless,' said Trump. Putin ramps up attacks as Trump refuses to punish him Emboldened by lack of any punishment from Trump, Putin has attacked Ukraine with hundreds of drones and missiles on a near-daily basis for weeks now. Even as Trump has occasionally used sharp words, he has not done anything to pressurise or punish Putin. Instead, he and his administration have taken a series of steps that have emboldened Putin. For one, the Trump administration stopped the supply of weapons to Ukraine. Last week, Russia had attacked Ukraine with a record 550 drones and missiles within hours of a call between Trump and Putin. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As for the last night's attack, Russia said that its 'long-range' and 'precision' strike targeted military airfield infrastructure and claimed that 'all designated targets were destroyed.' In a social media post, Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Chief of Staff, said, 'It is quite telling that Russia carried out this attack just as the United States publicly announced that it would supply us with weapons.' Trump has so far floated three ceasefires. While Ukraine all three proposals, Russia rejected all of them. Instead, Putin has doubled down on his maximalist demands that would mean the end of Ukraine as a nation if implemented. Meanwhile, on the ground, Russia said that it has captured the village of Tolstoy on Wednesday in the eastern Donetsk region. 'Yet another proof of the need for sanctions' Following the attacks, Zelenskyy said that the barrage was 'yet another proof of the need for sanctions' against Russian oil that has been funding Russia's war. Zelenskyy further said that the attack at a time when so many efforts have been made to achieve peace showed that 'Russia continues to rebuff them all'. 'Secondary sanctions on those who buy this oil and thereby sponsor killings. Our partners know how to apply pressure in a way that will force Russia to think about ending the war, not launching new strikes. Everyone who wants peace must act,' Zelenskyy further said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In the overnight barrage, Russian drones and missiles caused damage in 10 regions including Dnipro, Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, and Chernihiv regions, according to Ukrainian state media.
Irish Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
NATO jets scrambled as Putin fires hypersonic missiles near EU border
NATO scrambled warplanes last night as Vladimir Putin unleashed hypersonic missiles and kamikaze drones in the heaviest assault of the war on Ukraine so far. Kyiv revealed there were a total of 741 strikes on Ukrainian territory by the Russian armed forces, a record for the 40-month conflict. This involved 728 drone strikes, mainly Iranian-designed Shaheds, seven Kh-101/Iskander-K cruise missiles, and six Kinzhal - or Dagger - hypersonic missiles. Key targets of the massive bombardment were Lutsk and Ternopil in the west of Ukraine, which triggered an emergency response from NATO forces in neighbouring Poland, Mirror UK reports. Both Polish and other Western air force warplanes were scrambled as a defensive measure during Putin's strikes. 'In connection with the attack by the Russian Federation's air forces carrying out strikes on objects located in the territory of Ukraine, Polish and allied aviation has begun operating in Polish airspace,' said a statement from Warsaw's armed forces command. 'All available forces and resources at the disposal of the Operational Commander of the [Armed Forces] were activated. Duty fighter pairs were scrambled, and ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems reached the highest state of readiness. The measures taken are aimed at ensuring security in areas bordering the threatened areas.' Of the total of 718 incoming strikes, 303 were destroyed and 415 misfired or were lost including due to electronic warfare - an astonishing success for Ukrainian air defences. Some 296 drones were shot down as were all seven Kh-101/Iskander-K cruise missiles in a significant blow to Putin's firepower. 'The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of the Defence Forces of Ukraine,' said an official statement. The Russian blitzkrieg used a third more drones and missiles than the previous record. The enormous Russian onslaught came after Donald Trump had promised additional air defence missile supplies to Ukraine, as he again rebuked Putin for failing to agree a ceasefire. 'A lot of people are dying and it should end,' said the US president. We get a lot of bull**** thrown at us by Putin. You want to know the truth? He's very nice all the time but it turns out to be meaningless.' Lutsk suffered its worst attacks of the war, including the use of Kinzhal - or Dagger -hypersonic missiles fired from MiG-31K fighters. Putin also used his Tu-95MS strategic bombers to unleash Iskander-K and Kh-101 cruise missiles on Ukrainian targets. The Lutsk mayor Ihor Polishchuk said: 'Today was the most mass enemy attack with the use of UAVs and missiles on our city and community.' There was damage and raging fires, he said: 'Fortunately, at this minute there is no information about the dead as a result of the enemy attack. Let's give thanks to God! Our honour, respect and gratitude to the Air Defence Forces.' Kyiv was hit by explosions with a fireball exploding in one strike. Warehouses caught fire in Kyiv region as a result of a Russian missile and drone attack. Zhytomyr was also hit by hypersonic missiles, said reports. Ukraine hit Russia with more limited strikes overnight, but they led to new temporary closures of at least two Moscow airports - Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo. Explosions were heard in Zelenograd near Moscow, and in Tula. Ukraine also struck military targets in Rylsk, in Kursk border region, with the Russians reporting two women injured. In Kursk city, regional governor Alexander Khinshtein said three people had died and seven were wounded at a beach. Among the wounded was a five-year-old boy who shielded his mother during an attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said the Russian media. 'A vile, inhumane attack by Ukrainian criminals,' posted Khinshtein. 'Late in the evening, on a holiday, the enemy deliberately struck a place where civilians were.' There was no independent verification of his claims, but one report said a Russian national guardsman was among the dead. According to CNN, Trump earlier threatened Putin with bombing Moscow if he entered Ukraine. The US president has regularly claimed that Putin would not have invaded if he had been president when it happened in 2022. 'With Putin I said, 'If you go into Ukraine, I'm going to bomb the sh*t out of Moscow. I'm telling you I have no choice',' Trump reportedly said during a 2024 fundraiser, according to audio obtained by the broadcaster. "And then [Putin] goes, like, 'I don't believe you.' But he believed me 10%.' This was enough to stop Putin going ahead with an invasion, he indicated.
