Ukrainian Armed Forces believes that Russia’s arsenal of missiles, is running low, and it needs five years to restore its arsenal of high-precision missiles to pre-conflict levels. The production of missiles takes a long time, plus due to the sanctions imposed by the USA and the western countries russia is already facing difficulties in producing high-tech weapons such as missiles, precision-guided munitions, etc.
The Ukrainian news site Pravda quoted a Ukrainian Security Source on October 25, as saying “It will take five years for Russia to restore its stockpile of high-precision missiles to pre-conflict levels”. Also because of the western sanctions russia can’t import various types of materials required to manufacture missiles, such as semiconductor chips.
The source added that Russia can produce missiles based on its existing reserves of materials, but at a” slower rate, and on a smaller scale”.
According to Ukrainian Defense Minister,after eight months of the ongoing conflict, Russia has used about two-thirds of its stockpile of high-precision missiles.
As of October 14, Moscow is said to have used 609 of a total of 1,844 missiles.
Meanwhile, the head of Ukraine Defense Intelligence Agency, said that Russia’s Iskander tactical ballistic missiles stockpile is only left about 13% of its pre-conflict level.
Same goes for other types of missiles too, 43% for Kalibr, and 45% for Kh-101 and Kh-555.
To cover up its production of missiles, and to reduce the rapid decrease in its arsenal of missiles, the Russian Armed Forces has started using Iranian-made drones of various types in the recent months, and slowly they have reduced the use of cruise missiles in the battlefield and increased the use of kamikaze drones, specifically the Geran-2 or Shahed-136. Although, iran has clearly refused, that it has not supplied UAVs to Russia.
Previously, Ukraine and the West believed that Russia’s missile stockpile is exhausted.
However, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council said that Russia is increasing the speed of weapons production.
“I have repeatedly seen Western analysts think that Russia will soon run out of weapons. Don’t waste your time waiting”. Deputy Chairman of the Russia’s Security Council Medvedev said in a statement on October 24, 2022.
“The rate of production of weapons and special equipments is increasing many times over in every category, from tanks to artillery, to high-precision missiles to drones”. Medvedev said.
Russian former president Medvedev also sent a message to Russia’s opponents and advised them to give up hope that Moscow would run out of weapons.
“When reading the opponent’s analysis, i have repeatedly came across accusations that Russia will soon run out of military equipments and weapons, they think that russia has used up everything,” Medvedev said.
The Russian President Vladimir Putin in September 2022, stated that Russian Weapons used in the special military operation has shown “high efficiency”, these weapons includes high-precision, long-range missiles, airborne weapons, artillery systems, armoured vehicles and other weapons.
According to the russian president, in the current situation, russia is facing many challenges and threats, so defence industries are working under high pressure.
