Russia ‘must reuse old missiles from the 1980s without nuclear warheads’

Russia’s ammunition stockpiles have dwindled to the point that it must strip obsolete cruise missiles of their nuclear warheads and fire them at Ukraine, the Defense Ministry (MoD) has suggested.

In an intelligence update on Saturday, the department said the Kremlin’s desperate improvisation will have “unlikely consequences”.

The evidence cited is photographs of apparently shot-down AS-15 Kent cruise missiles, which were said to have been developed in the 1980s as a nuclear delivery system.

Defense said the warheads were likely being replaced by ballast and the Kremlin hoped the missiles would distract Ukraine’s air defenses.

“While such an inert system will still cause some damage from the rocket’s kinetic energy and wasted fuel, it is unlikely to have a reliable impact on intended targets,” the statement said.

“Whatever Russia’s intentions, this improvisation underscores the extent to which Russia’s supply of long-range missiles is depleted.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said six million homes were without power after the Kremlin launched rocket attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure.

Fears are growing that a major health crisis will hit the Ukrainian population as snow and sub-zero temperatures are accompanied by heating cuts.

On a visit to Kiev this week, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly pledged “hands-on” support to help Ukraine through the winter and pledged an additional £3 million to help rebuild infrastructure.

Clever said: “As winter sets in, Russia continues to try to break Ukrainian resolve with relentless attacks on civilians, hospitals and energy infrastructure. Russia will fail.

“Britain stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine.”

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