{
  "id": 5353245,
  "title": "How many more missiles does Russia have — and can it keep firing them?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/how-many-more-missiles-does-russia-have-and-can-it-keep-firing-them",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-03T15:23:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Kyiv Independent",
    "slug": "kyiv-independent",
    "url": "https://kyivindependent.com/how-many-more-missiles-does-russia-have-and-can-it-keep-firing-them/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As of August 27, 2026, Russian forces had launched at least 1,858 missiles at Ukraine over a period of eight months. This staggering figure fails to capture the evolving nature of Russia's missile campaign. After initially deploying large numbers of cruise missiles in February, Moscow has shifted its focus to ballistic and quasi-ballistic weapons, which are more challenging to intercept. This strategic change is likely driven by Ukraine's dwindling supply of Patriot interceptor missiles.\n\nRussia's missile arsenal includes a range of weapons, each with distinct capabilities. Ballistic and quasi-ballistic missiles, such as the Iskander-M, RM-48U, and KN-23, have dominated the campaign, accounting for 43% of all missiles fired at Ukraine. The use of these weapons surged in July, with 174 missiles launched, followed by approximately 89 during the first 27 days of August.\n\nCruise missiles, including the Kh-101, have also played a significant role. Kh-101s, which have been used as a missile platform for Kh-59 and Kh-69 variants, accounted for 61% of all cruise missiles fired. Their usage intensified in July, reaching 119 launches, and continued with at least 34 more in the first 27 days of August.\n\nTactical and supersonic weapons, such as the Zircon and Onyx, have also seen increased usage. Zircon launches rose from just three in May to 15 in June and 24 in July, with another 15 recorded in August. Onyx, which had not been used since the first six months of the year, saw 25 launches in July and at least 16 more in August.\n\nThe production of these weapons has kept pace with consumption, particularly for systems like the Iskander-M, Kh-101, and Kalibr, which Russia has ramped up production to meet or exceed monthly targets. However, the rapid deployment of these missiles has raised questions about Russia's ability to sustain this pace. With production not keeping up with expenditure for some systems and stockpiles declining, it remains uncertain how long Moscow can maintain this level of missile production and usage.",
  "summary": "From the start of 2026 through the morning of Aug. 27, Russian forces fired at least 1,858 missiles of various types at Ukraine. That figure alone, however, fails to show the whole picture. Over nearly eight months, Russia's missile campaign has changed character. After the large February salvos of cruise missiles, a significant share of which Ukrainian air defenses intercepted, Moscow has…",
  "key_points": [
    "Russian forces launched at least 1,858 missiles at Ukraine since February 2026.",
    "Ballistic and quasi-ballistic missiles, including Iskander-M and RM-48U, dominate the campaign.",
    "Production of these weapons matches consumption, but stockpiles are declining."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}