Ukrainian Air Force thwarts Russian missile advancement plans: Intercepted Ch‑32s lack cluster warheads
The web portal Defense Express has released fresh images and footage of the Ukrainians discovering remnants of the Ch-32 missile and the Shahed-136 drone in the Kharkiv region. Experts on explosive devices safely inspected and later destroyed the threats, owing to their hazardous content, in a secure environment.
The current evidence presented by the Ukrainians indicates that the Russian Federation has been unsuccessful in last year's plan of upgrading the Ch-32 with cluster warheads. The intercepted missile in the Kharkiv region contained a standard warhead and not the anticipated cluster version.
Earlier in January 2024, a similar finding was reported by the defending military force. The supersonic Ch-32 cruise missile that crashed in the Sumy region, too, lacked the cluster warhead.
The recent discovery has enabled Ukrainians to comprehend advanced Russian weaponry better. As reported earlier, the Russian Ministry of Defense approved an uplift of the Ch-32 missiles with a cluster system in October 2023. Yet, details remain sparse on the project. The exact timeline for completion is unknown. However, the continuous missile debris discovery in Ukraine is evidence that the aggressor is yet to possess an upgraded, improved version of the standard missiles.
Given their wide impact area, incorporating a cluster system into the Ch-32 poses a significant threat to the defending soldiers. Unlike the standard Ch-32 missiles, recognized for their low accuracy against terrestrial targets, a cluster warhead could cover a wider area while shelling - mitigating the risk of missed targets.
The operational principle of cluster warheads lies in releasing numerous sub-warheads from the primary body of the missile, which then hovers and scatter across a vast area. Owing to the likelihood of the sub-warheads failing to detonate upon impact, humanitarian organizations have been advocating against the use of such weaponry, mainly due to the latent risk to civilians.
As an added note, the standard Ch-32 missiles were introduced in 2016. They are known for their speed of 2.8 Mach and a range of nearly 1,000 kilometres. These missiles are also designed with electronic warfare systems, ensuring an uninterrupted flight despite signal disruptions.
