Ukrainian Ministry of Defence: Russia still has capacity to produce new missiles

Valentyna Romanenko – Monday, 9 May 2022, 18:05

According to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, Russia has used up around half of all the missiles in its existing arsenal, but still has the capacity and component parts to produce new ones. 

Source: Hanna Maliar, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine, on the national 24/7 newscast

Details: Maliar was asked to comment on an insight from British intelligence that Russia’s stockpile of precision-guided munitions has significantly dwindled, which is why Russian troops are using bombs and missiles of older makes in their attacks on Ukraine.

Quote from Maliar: "We have to be clear that we’re just talking about numbers here. We have also said that according to our information, more than half of all the missiles [in Russia’s arsenal] have already been launched. We shared the numbers, the number of missiles – around 2,000…But, despite these numbers, we have to realise that the Russian Federation has sufficient resources to continue fighting. The war hasn’t lasted that long yet [as of 9 May 2022, the full-scale war in Ukraine has lasted for 75 days].

If we are talking about producing missiles, they still have component parts that they purchased before the sanctions. So they will continue to have the capacity to manufacture them for some time.

At the same time, the speed [of production] has been affected. They won’t be able to replenish all of the arsenal that they have already used up. But for some time they will continue to be able to use these weapons, to deploy these missiles."

Earlier: British intelligence update from 9 May said that Russia’a stockpile of precision-guided munitions has likely been heavily depleted. According to British intelligence, this has forced Russia to use available but ageing munitions that are less reliable, less accurate, and more easily intercepted.