Russia is having problems with the production of AS-23a KODIAK air-launched missiles, which it uses to hit Ukrainian energy infrastructure, according to an intelligence report released by the British Ministry of Defense, UNN reports.
Details
The report notes that open-source photographs from March 31, 2024, show the wreckage of a missile that fell in a field in the Saratov region, southern Russia. Initially, it was believed that these were parts of a possible Ukrainian UAV, but after a more thorough examination, it became clear that the debris was most likely fragments of a Russian AS-23a KODIAK air-launched cruise missile (as NATO designates X-101, X-102 missiles - ed.)
According to British intelligence, it is highly likely that the debris was the result of a malfunction of a KODIAK missile that had been launched toward Ukraine earlier that morning.
The British Ministry of Defense notes that the Saratov region of the Russian Federation is a well-known launch site for Russian long-range bombers. In particular, several aircraft are based at the Engel airfield.
The AC-23a KODIAK is Russia's best precision-guided munition, with a range of about 4,000 kilometers. It has been widely used against Ukraine, most recently against energy infrastructure across the country
According to the British Ministry of Defense, it is very likely that "the malfunction of such a prestigious missile indicates problems in its production, which were probably affected by sanctions and the rush to meet the needs of the war."