The missile that struck Okhmatdyt, Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital, on July 8 was manufactured in Russia only weeks, and possibly days, before the attack, the Conflict Armament Research (CAR) investigative outlet reported.
CAR investigators documented the remains of the missile on July 30 and confirmed earlier reports identifying it as a Kh-101 air-to-surface guided weapon — the most modern Russian missile. It managed to penetrate Kyiv's air defenses during the hospital attack following a programmed route.
"CAR’s analysis, based on physical examinations of marks on the remnants, shows that the missile that struck Okhmatdyt hospital was produced at most three months before the attack—and potentially as recently as eight days prior." – the report said.
CAR also said that researchers have observed the same trend of Russia using highly valuable cruise missiles within two months of production since December 2022.
The findings also show that despite international sanctions and export controls, Western parts continue to find their way into Russia which buys them by inflated prices through intermediaries in various countries.
While Russian officials claim the Kh-101 is made entirely of Russian components, research by the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO) and its partners reveals that many critical foreign components are present in Russian missiles.
Despite the U.K. Defense Ministry's intelligence report on April 9 saying Russia may face difficulties producing the Kh-101 as a result of international sanctions, the Kh-101 that struck Okhmatdyt likely contained over 50 parts of Western origin, according to the Financial Times.
Except the attack on the Okhmatdyt hospital that killed 2 and injured 32 people, Russia used K-101 missiles in mass attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure over the past months, alongside other weapons like Kalibr, Kh-555, Kh-59 cruise missiles, as well as ballistic missiles of various types and Shahed-type drones.
Natalia Yermak
