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From Mock Warheads to Cannibalized Engines—How Russia Keeps Kh-59 Missiles Flying
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Sanctions are steadily choking Russia’s ability to produce its Kh-59 cruise missiles, forcing Moscow to dismantle old weapons for parts and cut corners on new ones, according to Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR) statement on August 13.
HUR released new data mapping 116 companies involved in producing Russia’s Kh-59M2/M2A air-launched cruise missiles. The findings were published in the “Weapon Components” section of the War&Sanctions portal, along with an interactive breakdown of the supply chain.
“Nearly 50 companies—about 40% of the list—are still not under sanctions from any country. Even under these conditions, Russia is already facing serious problems fulfilling its state defense orders,” the HUR said.
Ukrainian intelligence reports that shortages of both domestic and imported components, limited manufacturing capacity, and repeated production delays are forcing Russian missile plants to admit they cannot meet output targets.
“Not even cannibalizing old systems is helping—Russia is dismantling outdated R95 engines and repurposing guidance system components on a large scale,” the agency noted.
In some documented cases, Kh-59 missiles have been fitted with inert mock-ups instead of active radar seekers (ARGS), the missile’s most expensive and most production-critical component.
Despite these setbacks, dozens of Russian firms making electronics, guidance systems, and other key parts for the Kh-59 remain off sanctions lists. Their output allows Moscow to adapt and upgrade turbojet engines, prolonging the life of weapons used daily against Ukrainian civilians.
“These examples prove that sanctions work. Further tightening and expanding sanctions to include low-tier suppliers could further slow production of Russia’s main strike systems,” the HUR stressed.
Earlier, reports emerged that Belarus was accelerating the development of its defense manufacturing sector to meet Russia’s growing demand for military components.
-111f0e5095e02c02446ffed57bfb0ab1.jpeg "Photo of Roman Kohanets")
