Russia’s supposedly fearsome missiles have proven to be woefully ineffective during the country’s botched invasion of Ukraine, according to a Newsweek report.
The publication quoted a senior Defense Intelligence Agency official who revealed that “well under half of all Russian missiles [are] hitting their aim points” with official estimates “holding Russian missile success at just below 40 percent.”
Russia has launched missiles both within its own territory, and from Ukraine and Belarus.
“Just think of this terrible figure: 2,154 Russian missiles hit our cities and communities in a little over two months,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week. “The Russian bombing of Ukraine does not cease any day or night.”
The number of missiles fired by Russia — 2,275 at the latest count — compares to 2,300 Tomahawk missiles launched by the United States over the past 32 years in Iraq, the former Yugoslavia and Syria.
The preponderance of the Russian attacks on the battlefield has been the missiles — 630 Iskander missiles, both ballistic and cruise missiles, have been launched from the ground in Belarus and Russia.
Russian ships and submarines have launched Kalibr missiles (the equivalent of Tomahawk), and Crimean coastal anti-ship batteries fired Onyx missiles.
Russia’s extensive use of missiles against Ukraine is partly explained by the fact of the even poorer performance of the Russian air force, which failed to ensure decisive air superiority.
“The Russian Air Force (VKS) still shows no sign of running a campaign to gain air superiority,” retired British Air Marshal Edward Stringer told Newsweek.
