Ukrainian police explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) units have successfully neutralized the remains of russian strategic cruise missile that failed to detonate after being shot down. The operation took place in Poltava region, where the wreckage was discovered near agricultural lands, according to a statement by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The missile in question was the Kh-101 long-range air-launched cruise missile widely deployed since the beginning of russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Designed for high-precision strikes on strategic targets, the Kh-101 is typically launched from the Tu-95MS or Tu-160 strategic bombers. In this incident, the missile carried a cluster warhead, a recent and concerning development.
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The unexploded missile was located in a rural area and posed a significant threat due to the presence of submunitions. Ukrainian police EOD specialists from the bomb disposal unit responded to the scene and conducted a controlled detonation of the cluster warhead directly on site. Their swift and professional response prevented potential casualties and environmental damage in a densely cultivated region.
Cluster munitions are particularly dangerous because they scatter multiple smaller explosive devices over a wide area. Many of these submunitions fail to detonate on impact, creating long-term hazards for civilians, especially in rural or residential zones. Their use has been widely condemned by international humanitarian organizations due to the indiscriminate harm they can cause.
As Defense Express previously reported, operators of the Phoenix border guard unit have carried out a successful series of strikes targeting russian military equipment, according to an official report from the Unmanned Systems Forces. The operation reportedly resulted in the destruction of several high-value enemy assets, including tanks, the BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system, and two types of specialized equipment: rare radar station and robotic ground vehicle.
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