The Spiderweb Operation On Russian air bases he revealed that Moscow’s bombers were ready and armed with KH-101 cruise missiles For an imminent offensive. We talk about an intercontinental gun, which allows them to attack objectives throughout the Ukrainian territory without abandoning Russian airspace. Empharged with pools, electronic countermeasures and 400 kilos, these missiles have become one of the pillars of the Russian offensive.
Moscow ended them “vitamin” and has signed up directly to civilians.
Cluster head. He Russian attack of July 11 against the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi has confirmed the operational use of a variant of the KH-101 cruise missile equipped with A cluster headmarking a dangerous evolution in the use of Russian strategic armament. In the images filmed From an apartment During the attack, a missile is observed descending at acute angle followed by multiple successive explosions, typical characteristics of a submunition load.
The impact left two deadfourteen injured and considerable damage in civil infrastructure, including residential and administrative buildings, as well as vehicles. The most alarming thing is that the target was at scarce kilometers from RomaniaNATO Member State, which underlines the growing closeness of Russian attacks to the borders of the Atlantic Alliance.
KH-101: Now more expansive. He KH-101known by NATO as AS-23a Kodiak, is a cruise missile launched from the air, developed by Russia for long-range attack missions with low detection profile. In service since the early 2010 and tested previously in Syriahas a range that can exceed 4,000 kilometers. Launched from Strategic bombers TU-95ms or TU-160, has been used extensively Since the beginning of large -scale invasion in 2022, mainly against energy infrastructures and Ukrainian military objectives.
The recently used version, equipped with a cluster head, represents a significant change in The operational doctrinenow oriented towards attacks on urban areas or distributed whites, such as aerial defenses, landing tracks, deposits or vehicle groups.
The KH-101
Submunitions and implications. The cluster ammunition They disperse dozens or even hundreds of small pumps or “bombings” over a wide area, increasing the surface of destruction, but also the long -term risk. Many of these submunitions do not detonate when impacting and remain active, representing a Mortal threat for years for the civilian population.
Although the use of these weapons It is prohibited by the Convention on Munitions in Racimoneither Russia nor Ukraine have signed the treaty, which allows their employment No legal consequences direct, although in open contradiction with international humanitarian law. The use of a version of the KH-101 with these characteristics about a densely populated city confirms a deliberate will to increase the psychological and human impact of bombings.
Adaptations and technical evolution. It is not the first time that modifications are observed in the KH-101 during the war. I know They had documented versions with double explosive load, combining a conventional eye with a fragmentation, as well as equipped variants With infrared flares and electronic countermeasures designed to evade aerial defense.
Some of these configurations reduce the range of the missile due to the greater weight or lower fuel capacity, although this factor is not relevant when whites are within Ukraine. The Appearance in 2024 of remains of a modified war head had already suggested the use of this version with submunitions, and its existence was subsequently confirmed by Russian military sources and specialized channels linked to the Kremlin, which highlighted its usefulness against distributed objectives that until then were difficult to achieve effectively.
KH-101 missiles under the wings of a TUPOLEV TU-95
Chernivtsi: The symbolic border of the conflict. The fact that the missile was used against Chernivtsia city of the West of Ukraine located just 30 kilometers from Romania raises the strategic dimension of the incident. Not only is it the use of a long -range weapon and high cost against a civil objective, but also the implicit message that Russia launches when we place these attacks next to the NATO borders.
No doubt: although the KH-101 has been used frequently during the war, its adaptation to carry submunitions and its use in areas so close to allied territory constitutes a form of Psychological pressure and geopolitics difficult to ignore.
Mass production It is the last leg to analyze: the Russian capacity to sustain and even increase the production of KH-101 despite international sanctions. In the beginning, about 56 units were manufactured a year, however, in 2024 Russia has managed to climb production 50 missiles per monthwith plans to exceed 600 in 2025.
This increase has been achieved through the use of components Imported from China and a network of screen companies to avoid the technological restrictions imposed by the West. In other words, Kremlin not only maintains its strategic offensive capacity, but also expands it, incorporating new technological improvements and variants adapted to the theater of operations.
Growing threat. In short, the appearance of KH-101 with cluster head in the Ukrainian conflict indicates a doctrinal evolution in the way Russia uses its precision arsenal. Although before They were reserved These missiles to attack critical infrastructure, their use against residential areas and with a type of prohibited load For much of the international community, it suggests an oriented strategy to brutal deterrenceterror and saturation of defenses.
The precedent also opens the door to future similar attacks, and highlights the urgency of strengthening air defense systems in western Ukraine and in border areas with NATO countries. The KH-101 is no longer just a precision missile: now it is A versatile platformadapted for multiple functions, and whose presence represents a direct, even symbolic threat, for the stability of the European eastern flank.
Image | UKRAINIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE, RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE, VSLV, Dmitry Terekhov
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