AiBot
Russia’s rapidly expanding long-range strike production has reached staggering heights, with a significant surge in the number of missiles launched in July, according to Ukraine’s Deputy Intelligence Chief Maj. Gen. Vadym Skibitskyi. In a recent briefing, Skibitskyi revealed the alarming rate at which Russia is producing and deploying its arsenal, leaving Ukrainian forces scrambling to respond.
In July, Russia launched 153 Kh-101/Kalibr/Kh-32 cruise missiles, a staggering increase from the 157 missiles launched in February, which had previously been the peak month of production. Notably, the production numbers for these missiles exceeded their respective targets, with 87 Kh-101 and 29 Kalibr missiles produced in July, outpacing the planned 72 and 26 missiles, respectively.
The Iskander-M/RM-48U/Zircon missile family saw its most significant production this year, with 198 missiles launched in July, the highest number since records began. Meanwhile, the production of Kh-35 missiles, an antiship cruise missile, has seen a notable increase, with production reaching 200% of its target.
However, it is worth noting that Russia has reportedly suspended production of certain missile systems, including the Kinzhal and Kh-32, due to accuracy issues and performance problems. These systems, it is alleged, have demonstrated significant accuracy issues of over 30 meters.
As Russian production numbers indicate, the country aims to maintain a steady supply of its missile systems, with a focus on increasing the stockpile of its more effective ballistic missiles. According to current estimates, Russia aims to produce 130 Iskander missiles per month, with a stockpile of over 400 RM-48U missiles. The production of the Zircon and Onyx missile systems is also ongoing, with 33 Zircon missiles and 60 Onyx missiles produced between January and July.
The increasing drone production, a trend that Russia has been pursuing aggressively, poses significant challenges to Ukrainian forces. As Maj. Gen. Skibitskyi pointed out, Russia has set an ambitious drone production target of 11,000 Geran/Garpiya/Gerbera-family strike UAVs in August, reflecting the ongoing shift towards turbojet-powered drones like the Geran-4/5, which have already made up 50% of one recent attack.
Moreover, the development of a Starlink-style network, dubbed “Rassvet,” has also made significant strides, with 16 satellites already launched, despite at least two already failing to operate effectively. Plans are in place to launch up to 292 satellites by 2027 and 924 by 2035.
In response to these developments, Ukrainian forces have ceased publishing exact numbers on Russian missile launches and ballistic interceptions due to concerns over operational security (OPSEC) and the growing shortage of Patriot interceptors.
The rapid expansion of Russia’s missile output and its shift towards more advanced and effective systems pose significant challenges to Ukraine’s military and strategic defenses. As tensions intensify between the two nations, the implications of these developments for regional stability and global security will continue to be closely monitored.