Russian missile barrage intensifies conflict in Ukraine
The Russians launched their first massive attack on Ukraine in 2025, reports the portal Defense Romania. The Russian Federation targeted almost the entire country, as we read. How extensive was the arsenal used by the Russians?
Early in the morning on January 15, 2025, Russian forces conducted an intensified missile attack on targets in Ukraine. The strike followed a nighttime operation in which kamikaze drones played a dominant role. The attacks involved long-range bombers and other aircraft equipped with hypersonic and cruise missiles.
Russia used many aircraft
The Ukrainian air force reports that the Russian military launched air-to-ground missiles from at least seven fighter jets. The operation included aircraft such as strategic bombers Tu-95MS, long-range bombers Tu-22M3, and MiG-31K fighters capable of using Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. This marks the first such attack using these aircraft this year.
According to Defense Romania, available data suggests that Russian forces used several dozen missiles, including Ch-101, Ch-22, Kinzhal, Kalibr, and Iskander-K, as well as dozens of Geran-2 (Shahed-136) kamikaze drones.
Arsenal used by the Russians
One of the first missiles the Russians used to attack Ukraine was the Ch-101, a weapon equipped with two warheads, including one cluster warhead. This setup allows for attacks over a wider area compared to a standard warhead. A key element of this missile is the Otblesk-U guidance module, which compares the recorded image during flight with what was previously stored in the missile's memory. Thanks to this system, the accuracy of striking is only a few yards.
The Ch-22 missile, in contrast, is 36 feet long and weighs 11,000 pounds, with the warhead accounting for 2,120 pounds. It is capable of striking targets up to 310 miles away. During flight, it reaches speeds of about 3-4 Mach (approximately 3,045 mph), making it difficult to intercept. It reaches the chosen target at this speed, causing destruction both due to the warhead's explosion and the energy resulting from the momentum of impact.
Kinzhal and Kalibr missiles fired towards Ukraine
The Kinzhal is one of the most powerful Russian missiles. Its speed can reach up to 10 Mach, though more moderate estimates suggest around 8 Mach, which is nearly 6,090 mph. With such parameters, it is considered one of the most dangerous weapons in the Russian arsenal.
The 3M14 Kalibr, on the other hand, are cruise missiles with a range of up to 1,553 miles. They are slightly over 20 feet long and are equipped with a turbojet engine. Their characteristic feature is the ability to fly at very low altitudes, literally a few yards above the ground or water, allowing them to evade anti-aircraft defense systems. Despite this, they cruise at about 590 mph.
Iskander missiles have a range of up to 310 miles, which in itself is impressive, but the greatest challenge for air defense systems is their speed. These missiles ascend to an altitude of 31 miles, moving at hypersonic speeds between 6 and 7 Mach, or about 4,569 mph to 5,343 mph.
The recent attack also involved Iranian Shahed-136 drones, known in Russia as Geran-2, which are commonly used on the front lines. These kamikaze unmanned vehicles are about 11 feet long, with a delta wing configuration spanning about 8 feet. Each of these drones weighs about 440 pounds, with approximately 88 pounds allotted for the warhead.
