Moscow firing empty nuclear shells at Ukraine

UK intelligence suggests Russia has resorted to ageing equipment as war supplies run low

‘Many Kyiv residents were without electricity for more than 20 or even 30 hours’

RUSSIA has likely had to dip into its stock of ageing nuclear cruise missiles, removing the warheads and firing unarmed munitions at Ukraine owing to low supplies, Britain’s military intelligence said yesterday.

The evidence cited was open-source imagery showing the wreckage of a cruise missile which was apparently shot down after being fired in Ukraine. The missile appeared to be an airlaunched AS-15 Kent missile, which was designed in the 1980s as an atomic weapon delivery system.

When used without the nuclear warhead attached, the missile’s kinetic energy and any unspent fuel will still cause damage upon impact, however it is unlikely to achieve reliable effects against intended targets, the ministry added.

Instead, Russia is likely using these missiles as decoys in the hope of diverting Ukrainian air defences, the statement added, saying: “Whatever Russia’s intent, this improvisation highlights the level of depletion in Russia’s stock of long range missiles.”

Ukraine’s defence ministry has suggested that since its invasion began, Moscow has exhausted over half of its total missile arsenal.

Faced with a looming shortfall, Russia has ordered surface-to-surface short range ballistic missiles from Iran, Western intelligence officials said earlier this month. The Islamic Republic has already supplied Moscow with large numbers of Shahed-136 “kamikaze” drones.

Russian missile strikes on cities far from the front line have wrought havoc on civilian infrastructure as winter approaches, with fears growing of a humanitarian catastrophe as vulnerable populations struggle to heat their homes in sub-zero temperatures.

Volodymyr Zelensky said six million households were yesterday without power after the Kremlin targeted Ukrainian infrastructure with missile strikes. That is down from 12 million on Wednesday, he added.

But Ukraine’s president chided Kyiv officials, including mayor Vitali Klitschko, for not acting faster to open “points of invincibility” – public centres where residents can stock up on food, water, battery power and other essentials. Mr Zelensky said: “Please pay attention: Kyiv residents need more protection.

“As of this evening, 600,000 subscribers have been disconnected in the city. Many Kyiv residents were without electricity for more than 20 or even 30 hours. I expect quality work from the mayor’s office.”

City authorities said yesterday that water connections had been restored throughout the city, but that about 130,000 residents remain without electricity, promising that all power, water, heating and communication services would be restored within 24 hours.

Mr Zelensky also called on ordinary Ukrainians to conserve power this winter.

To help restore Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Finland’s government has asked its firms to donate equipment to Ukraine. Mika Lintila, the economy minister, said “the operation will be started immediately” with the first batch expected to be sent as early as next week.

Boris Johnson is spearheading a similar initiative to donate medical equipment to Ukraine. On Saturday, the former prime minister visited a warehouse of the private hospital company Circle Health Group as it prepared medical equipment for Kherson.