Russia ramps up missile production despite sanctions

Recently, the Russian Federation has been facing problems resulting from increasingly severe sanctions imposed by the West. The partisan movement Atesh reported that, according to the partisans, there is a shortage of components for the production of military equipment in Russia, including components necessary for producing fire control systems.

However, this does not mean that the production of Russian weapons has been minimized. The Russian Federation still has allies who supply the local military industry with the necessary components. In recent weeks, there has been an increase in missile production, especially of the Iskander missiles – as stated by Oleksandr Musiienko, a military expert and analyst associated with the army sector.

– Generally speaking, current data indicates that Russia produces 85-90 missiles monthly. This includes Kinzhal and Iskander missiles – as reported on the Ukrainian agency Unian’s portal.

The expert notes that until recently, the Russian Federation was characterized by lower efficiency in producing Iskander missiles. Although Musiienko does not specify precisely how many Iskander missiles Russia produces today, recent data suggest a maximum of 40 monthly units. Now, the efficiency has increased.

– Previously, they produced fewer. We can only assume that they have established some supply chain through third countries, which enabled Russia to purchase those elements they previously lacked – added Musiienko. The increase in missile production is accompanied by intensified shelling directed at Ukrainian airports. The analyst suspects this may be related to an attempt to delay Ukraine’s reception of F-16 fighters.

The mentioned missiles, which the Russians produce up to 90 units per month, are some of the most dangerous weapons in the aggressor's arsenal. Iskanders come in three variants (Iskander-M, Iskander-K, and the export version Iskander-E).

The most frequently used are the ones with the "M" designation – these are the ones the Russians use to shell Ukrainian positions. The ballistic missiles of this system have a length exceeding 23 feet, while their diameter is barely 3 feet. Depending on the variant, they can weigh up to 11,000 pounds, and their range reaches 310 miles. The maximum speed achieved by missiles fired from Iskander systems is also up to 5,343 mph.

Meanwhile, the Russian Kinzhals are another dangerous missile for Ukrainians. With a mass of up to 9,900 pounds, such massive ammunition can travel up to 1,243 miles. According to the Russians, the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal can accelerate to 10 Ma, but no evidence confirms this specification. In practice, the maximum speed of the mentioned missile is estimated at 8 Ma or approximately 6,089 mph.