Russian UAVs attacking Ukraine made days ago, Kyiv official says

Russian war

5 June, 12:26 AM

A Shahed drone that struck Kharkiv on June 4 was manufactured only a few days earlier, according to Ukrainian Defense Ministry adviser Serhii Beskrestnov.

On his Telegram channel, Beskrestnov posted photos of debris recovered from the site and included commentary on Russia’s arms stockpiles.

“Shaheds usually bear production dates five to 15 days earlier; that means Russia attacks us almost immediately after they roll off the assembly line,” he wrote.

Photo: Serhii Beskrestnov / Telegram

Beskrestnov said Iskander 9M723 ballistic missiles recently used by Russia show 2025 production dates, suggesting Moscow maintains a stock of at least 180 to 250 such missiles. He added that Zircon hypersonic missiles used to strike Ukraine are dated 2026, Kh-101 cruise missiles are typically manufactured a few months before use, S-400 (48N6U) surface-to-air missiles also show 2026 production dates, and Kh-59 air-to-surface missiles are dated to the third quarter of 2025.

Given current production rates, Beskrestnov suggested Russia cannot amass large stockpiles, so nearly all weapons produced are soon used in strikes on Ukraine.

Інші новини

Все новости