Russia is using Ukrainian Kh-55 cruise missiles, transferred under the Budapest Memorandum, in its massive shelling, Ukraine's Deputy Intelligence Chief Vadym Skibitskyy told The New York Times.
“All ballistic missiles, Tu-160 and Tu-95 strategic bombers were handed over. Now, these bombers are launching Kh-55 missiles designed in the 1970s to carry a nuclear warhead against us. The Russians remove the warhead and add ballast to disguise the fact that the missile does not carry a payload," he noted.
Skibitskyy said that during the shelling Russia uses Ukrainian missiles as a decoy to force Ukraine to use air defence against them.
“First, the Kh-55 missile is launched; we react to it. It’s like a false target,” he explained.
“According to our calculations, they have missiles for another three to five waves of attacks. This is if there are 80 to 90 rockets in one wave,” the intelligence representative added.
Earlier, it was reported that Russians had fired 62% of their missiles at civilians. According to a senior US military official, the Russians have now started to use 40-year-old ammunition.