The enemy has once again modernized the Kh-101 cruise missile, which still received an increased warhead weighing approximately 800 kg.
This was first reported in January 2024 during a propaganda visit by the war criminal and head of the russian Ministry of Defense to the MKB Raduga enterprise, where Kh-101 cruise missiles are manufactured. During this visit, one of the representatives of the enterprise told Shoigu that the warhead of the cruise missile "was able to increased from 450 kg to 800 kg."
Read more: The russians Claim That the Kh-101 Cruise Missile Could Receive a Warhead Weighing 800 kg at a Shorter Range
Nevertheless, it's not just about increasing the weight of a single warhead; it's about a decision to accommodate two separate warheads.
The Telegram channel Colonel GSH writes about this and provides photos of these warheads, noting that this became known after analyzing the downed Kh-101 missile during the enemy's latest attack on the night of March 29th.
It is noted that the second warhead has ready-to-use cubic-shaped striking elements. From Defense Express, we add that such elements are typically used in anti-aircraft missiles, but when applied for striking ground targets, they have significant damaging effects on people.
The installation of an additional warhead, in addition to the usual fragmentation-high-explosive one, occurred due to the reduction in the size of the fuel tank. What this means is a reduction in the flight range of the Kh-101, from 5500 km to a hypothetical 2250 km (probably less), which doesn't have much significance.
In case of launching such missiles from the Saratov region, even targeting objects in the Lviv region, the Kh-101 will still have 500-700 km remaining for additional maneuvers.
As for the mechanism of releasing the warhead of the missile, which is used in the new version of the Kh-101, it is currently unknown.
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