Russian forces used a new subsonic air-to-surface Kh-69 cruise missile to destroy a power station near Kyiv this week, Ukrainian sources have said.
The Kh-69 improves the range of Russian air-to-surface missile attacks to 250 miles from 190 miles and is fired by fast fighter jets rather than more cumbersome Russian bombers.
The missile can fly as low as 20m, according to reports.
Major Ilya Yevlash, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, said that Kh-69 missiles posed a new problem for Ukraine’s depleted missile defence systems as they are quick and easy to deploy.
“These are fresh missiles with parts manufactured in 2023. So we can see that Russia is constantly trying to produce new missiles,” he told Ukrainian media.
Ukraine has been begging for more weapons from the West, especially missile-defence systems, which it has said are now depleted.
The Kremlin has been targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and the missile strike on Thursday destroyed the Trypilska thermal power station, one of the largest in Ukraine.