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UK intelligence: Russia deploys MiG-31 jets, Killjoy missile to Belarus

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Russia has "almost certainly" parked two MiG-31 jets in Belarus with what's likely the Killjoy air-launched ballistic missile, according to the U.K. Defense Ministry.

"Russia has occasionally launched these weapons during (the war in Ukraine), but stocks are likely very limited," the ministry wrote. According to it, basing Killjoy in Belarus would give Russia little added advantage in terms of striking additional targets within Ukraine.

Russia has fielded Killjoy (also known as Kinzhal), which has a range of over 2,000 kilometers, since 2018, but it has not previously moved to Belarus. "It has likely carried out the deployment mainly to message to the West and to portray Belarus as increasingly complicit in the war," the report reads.

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The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.

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