Ukraine reports on Russia's upgrades to Kh-101 missile: cluster munitions and countermeasures

Russia has upgraded the Kh-101, a strategic cruise missile, at least four times in an attempt to improve its ability to penetrate Ukrainian air defence.

Source: Ukraine's Defence Ministry

Details: Ukraine's Defence Ministry has analysed components of the Kh-101 cruise missile.

Quote: "Russia has carried out at least four significant upgrades to the Kh-101 strategic air-launched cruise missile since the start of the full-scale invasion."

More details: The Kh-101 is an air-launched strategic cruise missile launched from Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers, mainly from areas over the Caspian Sea. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, it carried a warhead weighing about 480 kg, had a range of up to 2,500 km and used a combined guidance system based on inertial navigation, satellite correction and an electro-optical targeting system in its final phase of flight.

The Kh-101 has received a tandem warhead as part of one upgrade.

Quote: "Instead of a single unitary warhead, the missile received a tandem configuration – two warheads of different types with a total weight of about 800 kg."

More details: The defence ministry noted that Russia has deliberately reduced the Kh-101's flight range while increasing the missile's payload, counting on a more powerful effect from missiles that manage to penetrate Ukrainian air defence.

The Russians also began fitting the missiles with cluster warheads containing submunitions and zirconium incendiary elements capable of causing major fires upon impact.

Quote: "The presence of zirconium and other pyrophoric elements indicates that these munitions have been designed to strike oil storage facilities, fuel depots and other civilian facilities."

More details: Russia also upgraded the Kh-101's guidance system, improving the algorithms of the electro-optical extreme correlation system used in the final stage of flight.

The defence ministry explains that the missile does not home in on the target itself, but uses preloaded terrain maps – bridges, roads, rivers or junctions – which it compares with real-time images of the surface during flight.

Another stage of the upgrade involved fitting the Kh-101 with the SP-504 onboard electronic protection system. The system can detect Ukrainian radar activity and generate false signals, causing air defence systems to "see" decoy assets instead of the missile.

In addition, the Kh-101 was fitted with thermal and chaff decoys – special false assets for missiles with infrared and radar guidance. They are automatically released when there is a threat of interception.

The defence ministry also reported that while Russia continues to modernise the Kh-101, its Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers – the main carriers of the missiles – are approaching the end of their service life.

Due to intensive use and long flight routes, the number of combat-capable carriers is gradually falling. The ministry said Tu-95MS bombers now often carry only two Kh-101 missiles instead of six.

Analysis of debris from downed missiles also indicates that Russia no longer has significant stocks of Kh-101s. The defence ministry said some components are manufactured in advance, but final assembly of the missiles takes place one or two weeks before launch.

Quote: "...Russia produces them and uses them immediately, operating right off the bat."

More details: Ukraine's Defence Ministry concluded that Russia's changes – increased payload, incendiary elements and interception countermeasures – are not a technological breakthrough but an attempt to adapt the Kh-101 to conditions where many missiles are intercepted in flight.

Quote: "Since the start of 2026, Ukrainian air defence has shot down about 88% of Russian Kh-101, Kh-55 and Kh-555 missiles."

Background: Earlier, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) unveiled an interactive 3D model of Russia's new Izdeliye-30 cruise missile, including its main parts and components, as well as data on 20 companies involved in its production network.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!