Tests of missile fragments did not show abnormal levels of radioactivity, Ukraine’s military says
BBC: Ukraine war: Kyiv displays dummy nuclear-capable missile fired by Russia
Russia is now using nuclear-capable missiles with non-explosive warheads to exhaust Ukraine’s air defences, the Ukrainian military has said.
It displayed what it said were fragments of Soviet-made X-55 cruise missiles – designed for nuclear use – found in Ukraine’s two western regions.
The rockets are being launched to “exhaust the air-defence system of our country,” a Ukrainian official said.
He said tests on the fragments did not show abnormal levels of radioactivity.
Ukrainian military experts say Russia may have significantly depleted its vast missile arsenal after carrying out wave after wave of massive strikes on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure in recent weeks.
Moscow is now resorting to using blunt projectiles that still cause devastation, they say. A UK intelligence report in November came to similar conclusions.
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Update #1: Ukraine says Russia ‘distracting’ air defences with dud nuclear-capable missiles (Reuters)
Update #2: Russia’s use of Soviet-made missiles aimed at distracting air defenses – General Staff (Ukrinform)
WNU Editor: Pentagon officials reported the same thing a few days …. Russia firing unarmed missiles to deplete Ukraine air defense, says U.S. military official (Reuters).
I know Russia has thousands of these old missiles. They are not running out of missiles as this report is claiming …. Putin fires cruise missiles with dummy nuclear warheads at Ukraine because their missile stocks are so depleted, UK government says (Daily Mail).