x 31 cruise missile

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X-31: Breaking the Chain: Lessons Learned

By any measure, the X-31 was a highly successful flight research program at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center, now the Armstrong Flight Research Center. It regularly flew several flights a day, accumulating over 550 flights during the course of the program, with a superlative safety record. And yet, on Jan. 19, 1995, on the very last scheduled flight of the X-31 ship No. 1, disaster struck.

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Strengthening program and project management to increase performance and enable long-term mission success for NASA.

Lessons learned over a career are useful for identifying team development opportunities to ensure mission success and safety of flight. All human and robotic spaceflight is accomplished by teams of people working with technology. Spaceflight is about leading and organizig teams of people to solve engineering problems

Howard Wilson “Bill” Tindall Jr. is credited by many who worked in the Gemini and Apollo Programs with playing a key role in leading the development of flight techniques used to design and fly the Gemini and Apollo missions.

• Missiles of the World

Kh-101 / Kh-102

The Kh-101 / Kh-102 is a line of conventional and nuclear capable air-launched cruise missiles (ALCM) developed and deployed by Russia. A stealthy missile, the Kh-101/-102 is designed to defeat air defense systems by flying at low, terrain-hugging altitudes to avoid radar systems. The Kh-101 carries a conventional warhead, while the Kh-102 is believed to carry a 250 kt nuclear payload.

Kh-101 / Kh-102 at a Glance

Kh-101 / Kh-102 Development

Kh-101 / kh-102 specifications, service history.

Since entering service in 2012, the Russian air force has employed the Kh-101 several times in combat operations.

• Andrei Akulov, “Russian Kh-101 Air to Surface Cruise Missile: Unique and Formidable,” Strategic Culture , October 19, 2016, https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2016/10/19/russian-kh-101-air-to-surface-cruise-missile-unique-and-formidable.html.
• “Kh-101/-102” in IHS Jane’s Weapons: Strategic 2015-2016, ed. James C O’Halloran (United Kingdom: IHS, 2016), 189.
• Ibid; Russian Ministry of Defense, “Strategic Tu-95MS bombers destroyed the ISIS militants’ command post and storages in Syria with missile attack,” July 5, 2017, http://eng.mil.ru/en/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12132186@egNews.
• Dave Majumdar, “Ready for War: Russia’s Stealthy Kh-101 Cruise Missile Debuts in Syria,” National Interest , November 18, 2015 http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/ready-war-russias-stealthy-kh-101-cruise-missile-debuts-14387; Akulov.
• “Tactical Missile Corporation plans to upgrade Kh-101 Cruise Missile,” Russian Aviation, August 19, 2016 https://www.ruaviation.com/news/2016/8/19/6541/?h.
• O’Halloran, 189.
• Ibid; Akulov.
• “Kh-101/-102” in IHS Jane’s Weapons: Strategic 2015-2016, 189.
• “Kh-65/ Kh-SD/ Kh-101,” Federation of American Scientists, https://fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/bomber/kh-101.htm.
• RC Porter, “Top-Notch Kh-101 Cruise Missiles that Russia Unleashes on Daesh in Raqqa,” Fortuna’s Corner (blog), February 19, 2017, https://fortunascorner.com/2017/02/19/the-cruise-missiles-russia-is-using-in-syria/; Nicholas de Larrinaga “Russia Launches Long Range Air Sorties into Syria,” IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly , November 17, 2015, https://web.archive.org/web/20151118145706/http://www.janes.com/article/56062/russia-launches-long-range-air-sorties-into-syria.
• David Cenciotti, “Russia Tu-95 Bear Bombers Escorted by Su-30SM Jets Carry Out Air Strike in Syria using Kh-101 Strategic Cruise Missiles,” The Aviationist , July 5, 2017, https://theaviationist.com/2017/07/05/russian-tu-95-bear-bombers-escorted-by-su-30sm-jets-carry-out-air-strike-in-syria-using-kh-101-strategic-cruise-missile/.
• “Russia hits Islamic State in Syria with advanced cruise missiles,” Reuters , July 5, 2017 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-idUSKBN19Q1QP.
• Russian Ministry of Defense, “Tu-95MS bombers fired cruise missiles at terrorist objects’ in Syria,” September 26, 2017, http://eng.mil.ru/en/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12143592@egNews.

• Missiles database

Antimissile missile X-31P (X-31PD)

X-31P supersonic aircraft missile with passive homing head is intended for destruction of enemy air defense systems radar controls, including medium- and long-range air defense radars "Patriot" , "Improved Hawk" , "Nike Hercules" and others. It differs from the anti-radar missiles of the previous generation in that it has a longer range, high marching speed, stable targeting under conditions of intensive interferences and temporary shutdown of the radio-radiation targets.

The development of the X-31P antiradar missile (APR) began in 1975 at the Design Bureau "Zvezda" under the leadership of Chief Designer G.I.Khokhlov. The necessity of its creation was caused by the fact that its predecessor, the Kh-27PS PRR, did not satisfy the customer in terms of its launch range and speed, forcing the carrier to launch the missile in the range of the "Hawk" and "Nike Hercules" SAMs with the maneuver to move away from the target, which, in turn, allowed the calculation of the SAMs to turn off the radar, thus disrupting the guidance of the PRR. It was assumed that the new missile would have a launch range of about 60 km and a mass of less than 400 kg, and its high speed (about 750 m/sec at launch range of 25 km from a low altitude) would allow it to ensure the hitting of the "Advanced Hawk" SAM system's high-explosive warhead before the launch of the SAM reaches the carrier. It was planned to hit Nike Hercules SAM system radars outside the range of the SAM system. The plan was to arm the SLBMs with third-generation attack aircraft of the MiG-27, Su-17M and Su-24 types, each of which would house at least two missiles. To ensure the required average speed at a given mass, it was decided to use SARD. To accelerate the missile to the launch speed of the SARP, a solid propellant launch accelerator was used, which could be placed in the SARP combustion chamber.

During the design process, it became clear that it would not be possible to build a missile weighing less than 400 kg, primarily because of the difficulty of creating a small-size RVD. Thus, instead of a lightweight RVD, a medium-range RVD was obtained to suppress air defense with a launch range, The list of radar targets for the X-31 missile was also expanded to include SAM-D (future Patriot) and surveillance radars operating in the B and C frequency bands, for which the Omsk-based NGO "Automatics" was given the task of designing three SLNs (PRGS-4PV, PRGS-5PV and PRGS-6PV) operating in these bands.

In the process of creation of X-31 missile in 1978 the government decree on creation on its basis of anti-ship version, which received designation X-31A , intended for destruction of surface ships with displacement up to 4500 tons was issued. For this purpose, the X-31 missile was equipped with an active radar SLN and a penetrating combat unit instead of a shrapnel-array one.

Factory flight tests of the X-31P began in May 1982 on the MiG-27M aircraft. On them, the missile was presented in versions Pr1 and Pr2, as well as its dimensional and mass models to check the emergency drop. Equipped with a launch engine and a mock-up of the cruise engine X-31Pr1 was designed to test the separation of the rocket, its launch and stabilization at the launch site. X-31Pr2 with the launch and marching engines of the power plant was designed to test the launch of the marching engine, determine its characteristics, assess the performance of the stabilization system, check aerodynamic and ballistic characteristics.

November 22, 1983 began Phase "A" of the state joint testing of the rocket X-31 with GSN PRGS-4VPV as part of the weapons system of the MiG-27M aircraft. By this time, the X-31 has undergone structural changes, externally expressed primarily in changing the shape of the wing and its place of installation to increase the stability of the missile. In parallel with the beginning of 28 August 1984, stage "B" of state joint flight tests of the X-31 missile in the weapons system of MiG-27M was developed a list of measures to modify the X-31 missile to improve its performance. Improvement of ballistic characteristics was planned to achieve a reduction in aerodynamic resistance by performing the nose in a single caliber (360 mm) with a combustion chamber of the marching stage, which would also lead to an increase in the reserve of marching fuel, reducing the size of the rods, elimination of gaps and gaps between the mating elements of the frame, installation of steering wheels in the plane of the wings, and so on. The technological process was planned to be improved by providing a better approach to the plug-in connectors to be connected, laying the harnesses inside the compartments to ensure their reliable thermal insulation, more rational layout and simplification of unit installation. Operational reliability was increased by providing the plane assembly and equipment of the rocket without unblocking it by installing the ignition unit, laying a part of the elctronic harnesses and checking them during the engine assembly, installation of pyropatrons at the plant without removing the fairings during operation, installation of the combat unit through the hatch, rather than from the end causing the need to disconnect the compartment with the guidance and control equipment. A detailed analysis of each structural element was performed to reduce the launch weight of the missile.

In February 1986 the flight and design tests of the modernized X-31P rocket were successfully conducted. In late spring, continued the "B" stage of the state joint flight tests of the weapons system of the MiG-27M aircraft with a prototype rocket Kh-31P and prototype equipment "Progress-N". In early June 1987, stage "B" flight tests were completed and the missile was recommended for mass production and adoption for service.

Factory flight tests of the rocket X-31P with GSN PRGS-5VP began in January 1986 and conducted on the MiG-27M aircraft with the equipment "Progress-H". Then, in February 1987, the Su-24M (T6M-37) was hooked up and the flight development tests of the Kh-31A rocket were continued on two aircraft. In the third quarter of 1987, practical launches of the Kh-31P rocket with PRGS-5VP were performed from the Su-24M, allowing the factory flight tests to be successfully completed on 8th September 1987.

At the end of September 1987, state joint flight tests of this missile started, conducted on MiG-27M and Su-24M aircraft and successfully completed at the end of March 1988, after which X-31P with PRGS-5VP was recommended for service. At the same time, control equipment that provided target designation for the CNS missiles - "Phantasmagoria" and "Ethnography" containers for the Su-24M and "Progress" for the MiG-27 and Su-17 - was also tested.

In early spring 1988, the factory flight tests of the X-31P missile with the PRGS-6VP began. They were completed at the end of April 1988, followed by state joint testing of this version of the MiG-27M missile in the second half of 1988, with a positive result. As the reconnaissance sighting station operating in B + C and B' and intended for installation on the Su-24M had not been developed by that time, it was not possible to launch X-31 P rockets with the GSN PRGS-6VP from it. Therefore, the Su-24M prototype (T6M-37), which had been further developed for the use of Kh-31P rockets, was used in May 1988 to perform test series tests of Kh-31P rockets manufactured in 1987, during which the possibilities of using Kh-31P rockets with SNS PRGS-4PVP from the aircraft were also tested.

Serial production of missiles X-31P at the Kaliningrad Production Association "Arrow" (now SNRC "Zvezda-Strola") began in 1987.

The development of the upgraded version of X-31PK missile was carried out by equipping the missile with a non-contact blast sensor and a warhead of increased efficiency. The X-31PK tactical missile with passive homing heads is designed to effectively engage the radar, including those with upward facing antenna devices (up to 15 m), operating in continuous and pulsed modes of radiation.

The extended range of the missile up to 110 km ensures its effective use, mainly from abroad, the reach of the enemy's air defense missile carrier. Due to the high speed combined with the autonomy of guidance, provides an advantage in dual situations where the launch is carried out from ranges to the target within the reach of the missile launchers of air defense missiles.

At present, an advanced X-31PD missile with an extended range is offered. In addition, a version of the missile class "air-to-air" to combat aircraft DRLO.

In the west, the missile was designated AS-17 "Kripton".

Composition: 

The X-31P rocket (see projections ) is made according to the normal aerodynamic scheme with the X-shaped arrangement of the wing and rudders. The missile consists of three compartments. Each compartment is a structurally and functionally complete unit. On the hull in the plane of the bearing surfaces are four side round supersonic air intakes, closed by conical shaped plugs ejected in flight. The X-31P rocket is equipped with a shrapnel-phase warhead, upgraded with the X-31PD - a cassette universal one, weighing 110 kg, of increased power.

The 31DPK engine is a direct-flow air jet designed by Soyuz ICB (Turaevo, Moscow Oblast). It consists of: air intakes, fuel tanks with displacement system and fuel dosing equipment, front-end device, combustion chamber with unregulated supersonic nozzle, electrohydraulic system of combustion control.

The combustion chamber of the marching engine accommodates a solid fuel launch accelerator, which after separation of the rocket from the launch vehicle reliably ensures its acceleration to the launch speed of the marching SARD. After operation is complete, the booster is pushed out by a racing air stream. The use of such an integrated propulsion system provides an increase in the average speed and range of firing while reducing the size of the missile. The combustion chamber of the direct-flow air jet engine has an air curtain cooling system, which significantly increases the allowable operating time and opens up almost unlimited opportunities for modification of the missile. The specific fuel consumption during operation of the RVD 31DPK is approximately 6 times lower than that of the RDTT, and low smoke increases flight stealth. The original solution ensured a self-launch of the missile with the SARP (which usually requires upper stages) and stable operation at the maximum specific impulse. The design of the 31DPC is simple, compact and inexpensive to produce, but highly reliable. And the use of solid propellant in the SARP has simplified the storage and operation of the missile. At high speed, the missile was able to perform maneuvers with high overloads, which reached 10g in tests.

The guidance system of the upgraded X-31PD missile includes an inertial system and a wide-band passive homing radar head (WBH) L-112E, manufactured by NPO "Automatics".

The X-31P rocket provided application after target capture on a suspension under the carrier. The X-31P rocket can be used in two modes: in conjunction with the capture of the target on the auto-support CPSN under the suspension of the aircraft carrier and in an autonomous mode with the capture of the target on the auto-support CPSN on the trajectory of the missile after launch. The choice of mode is made by the launch vehicle crew, depending on the altitude and range of target detection. PRGS provides search and seizure of the target on the suspension under the aircraft carrier data carrier equipment or autonomously, as well as target tracking and the formation of signals to guide the missile.  After its detection, the pilot sends the aircraft to the target and enters the target designation data in the missile. After launch, the rocket goes into altitude dialing mode according to the program. Then, when you reach a certain angle of target sighting, CNS turns to it and dive, while pointing at the target is carried out on the signals of CNS.

Ground operation of the missiles is provided by the complex of preparation of aircraft destruction means "Oka-E-1".

A sealed container is used to transport and store the missile.

Characteristics: 

Testing: .

On the basis of the X-31P rocket was created target missile MA-31 (removed the homing head, combat equipment and partly modified the aerodynamic scheme of the nose fairing). Target MA-31 in 1994 won the world competition announced by the U.S. Navy and successfully passed the flight tests. Four launches of the MA-31 target missile were conducted at the U.S. Navy test site in Point Mugu, California. The contract for the sale of target missiles MA-31 of the U.S. Navy, involves the supply of 20 to 40 X-31 missiles per year.

One version of why the Americans paid attention to the X-31 is the desire of the U.S. Navy Command to develop a missile defense system capable of protecting ships from another supersonic Russian cruise missile 3M-80E "Mosquito" - in the NATO classification SS-N-22 "Sunburn" ("Solar Burn"). This anti-ship weapon system of the state company Rosvooruzhenie sold as part of the arms of the destroyer 956 project type "Modern" to the Chinese. The presence of weapons in the Chinese, against which no effective defense systems exist in any fleet of the world, poses a serious threat to the impunity of the U.S. Pacific Fleet operations in Southeast Asia, and it cannot but bother the American admirals.

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• Description
• Composition
• Characteristics

Classification:

Similar in definition and basing:.

Guided missile family Standard

ALARM antiradar missile

CEB-2 cruise missile (K-16 complex)

X-58U antiradar missile

X-28 medium-range antiradar missile

Antimissile missile X-25MP(X-25MPU)

X-22 cruise missile (K-22 complex)

X-15 aeroballistic missile

Standard-ARM (AGM-78) antiradar missile

Martel AS-37(Armat) antiradar missile

Some of Russia's 'prestigious' guided missiles may be malfunctioning and falling short of their targets: UK intelligence

• Some Russian missiles may be malfunctioning and missing their targets, per British intelligence.
• The AS23a Kodiak — or Kh-101 — is one of Russia's top precision-guided munitions.
• "Issues in its production" could lead to rushed production jobs, the UK MOD says.

Premium Russian cruise missiles might be malfunctioning and missing their targets, according to new intelligence from the UK Ministry of Defence.

The UK MOD said on Tuesday that it analyzed open-source images taken on March 31, 2024, which showed missile wreckage in a field in Saratov Oblast, southern Russia.

The UK MOD said the debris was initially considered remnants of a "possible Ukrainian uncrewed aerial vehicle." However, their analysis concluded that the pieces were likely "fragments of a Russian AS-23a KODIAK air-launched cruise missile."

Related stories

"It is highly likely the debris was the result of a malfunction of a KODIAK missile that was launched towards Ukraine earlier that morning," the UK MOD said.

"The highly likely malfunction of such a prestigious missile indicates issues in its production, likely impacted by sanctions and being rushed to meet the demands of the conflict," the department added.

The AS23a Kodiak is one of Russia's top precision-guided munitions and was designed to attack major military targets like airfields and warships. Also known as the Kh-101, it carries a 992-pound payload that can be equipped with high explosive or fragmentation warheads, per the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Russia has been using these missiles not just to hit military targets but also to take out Ukraine's grain silos and "hurt global food markets," UK intelligence said in October.

Russia's blockade of Black Sea ports has also destabilized Ukraine's food production and sent food prices soaring worldwide, even in places like Kenya and Egypt , which relied heavily on Ukrainian and Russian wheat imports.

While Russia is still losing hundreds of troops a month, Ukraine is struggling to prevent further Russian frontline advances. It has suffered blows from the huge barrage of missiles Russia unleashed on it this winter.

In March, Russia also pounded Ukraine with glide bombs, a tactic that Ukraine can only counter by taking out the planes that drop them. Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba said at a March 27 briefing that Russia dropped around 700 glide bombs on Ukraine within six days, bombarding targets consistently from March 18 to 24.

With US aid still stalled out in Congress, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is now begging for more Patriot air-defense systems to defend cities like Kharkiv from Russian missile and bomb attacks. Ukraine is also looking to build drones that could hunt down Russian unmanned aerial vehicles instead of burning through their stockpiles of surface-to-air missiles to prevent aerial harassment.

Representatives for the Russian and Ukrainian defense departments did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

Watch: Russia fires 120 missiles across Ukrainian cities

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Kh-31 (Q297043)

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An early evening Russian missile attack killed four people on Wednesday, including a 10-year-old girl, and injured seven in Odesa district in southern Ukraine, the regional governor said.

May 9, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news

By Tara Subramaniam , Christian Edwards, Eliza Mackintosh , Aditi Sangal , Adrienne Vogt , Mike Hayes and Tori B. Powell , CNN

Ukrainian Air Force says it shot down 23 Russian cruise missiles

From CNN's Josh Pennington

All but two of 25 cruise missiles fired by Russia against Ukraine overnight Tuesday were intercepted by the country's air defenses, the Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement.

"In total, during two waves of shelling of Ukraine on the night of May 9, 2023, the Russian occupiers launched 25 Kalibr and X-101/X-555 cruise missiles," the statement said, adding that 23 missiles fired from the sea and the air were destroyed.

The Ukrainian military warned earlier this week that Russia is trying to wear down Ukraine's air defenses ahead of an anticipated counteroffensive.

Falling debris: Shrapnel from a downed missile landed in a private yard in Kyiv's Holosiivskyi district, Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said in a statement Tuesday. There was no damage and nobody was hurt, he said. Explosives experts and emergency responders were working at the scene, he added. 

The intercepted attacks Tuesday come after Klitschko said Russian strikes early Monday marked Moscow's "most massive" drone attack on the capital.

Ukrainian Eurovision duo launch fundraiser for premature war babies 

From CNN's Mariya Knight

Tvorchi, the duo representing Ukraine at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, have launched a fundraiser for equipment to help Ukrainian babies born prematurely due to war stressors. 

The fundraiser is in partnership with Visa and United24, an official fundraising platform launched by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

According to United24, “because of the war, the number of such newborns has increased by at least 15% and behind this figure there are thousands of vulnerable children who were born prematurely and cannot survive without special assistance.” 

During the Eurovision opening ceremony on Sunday in the English city of Liverpool, the duo wore costumes with the names and weights of Ukrainian babies born prematurely displayed on their jackets. 

“Sofia, 1340 grams. Marichka, 804.6 grams. Nikita, 1280 grams. Alice, 1600 grams. Denis, 900 grams...These names and weights are displayed on our costumes, that we wore on the turquoise Eurovision runway,” they said in an Instagram post Monday. “They belong to children who were born in Ukraine during the war, very tiny. More often, because their mothers experienced stress during pregnancy due to explosions, shelling and a constant sense of threat. “These babies survived — their little hearts were saved by intensive care incubators.”

The goal of the initiative is to attract international support to raise nearly $270,000 to buy 10 incubators for Ukrainian infants, according to the United24 website. 

Eurovision is traditionally hosted by the defending champion's country. Ukraine won the contest in 2022 but cannot host it due to the ongoing conflict. The theme of Eurovision 2023 is "United by music" with the first semifinals to start on May 9. 

Ukraine shoots down more than a dozen cruise missiles over Kyiv, military says

Ukrainian air defenses destroyed about 15 cruise missiles launched by Russia in the airspace over Kyiv in the early hours of Tuesday, a Ukrainian military official said.

In a Telegram post, Serhiy Popko, head of the city's military administration, said preliminary information indicated there were no casualties and little damage caused.

“In the Holosiiv district, a fire broke out in the yard of a private house as a result of falling debris and the removal of debris on the road in the Shevchenkiv district,” he said. “The launched cruise missiles, most notably of the X-101 (X-555) type, did not reach their targets. The anti-aircraft defense of the capital worked perfectly again!"

Popko said the attack was "carried out by four Tu-95MS strategic bombers from the Caspian Sea region,” in the fifth air assault launched by Russia against Kyiv since the beginning of May.

Some context: The intercepted attacks Tuesday come after Kyiv's mayor said Russian strikes early Monday marked Moscow's "most massive" drone attack on the capital since the invasion began last year. The Ukrainian military has warned that Russia is trying to wear down Ukraine's air defenses ahead of an anticipated counteroffensive.

Russia has little to celebrate on its annual Victory Day as Ukraine war falters. Here's the latest

From CNN staff

It's Victory Day in Russia, where an annual Moscow parade is set to take place in an  exhibition of patriotism  marking the Soviet Union's role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II.

The day is the most significant in Russian President Vladimir Putin's calendar, and he has long used it to rally public support and demonstrate the country's military prowess.

But in light of two recent alleged Kremlin drone attacks, deepening fissures between senior Russian officials over war tactics, and an expected Ukrainian spring offensive, tensions in Moscow are at an all-time-high ahead of the second parade since Russia launched its invasion.

Here are the latest developments:

• Muted celebrations: Thousands of people   will line the streets of Moscow's Red Square on Tuesday as part of Russia's annual  Victory Day parade , when the Kremlin will display a front of military might and grandeur contrasting with its faltering military campaign in Ukraine . But several regions in Russia — many near the border with Ukraine — have scaled down preparations for the May 9 spectacle due to security concerns and a lack of military equipment to display.
• "Most massive attack": Russia launched a wave of strikes on Ukraine early Monday in what Kyiv mayor  Vitali Klitschko  called its "most massive attack ." The mayor said five people were injured in capital, but no deaths were reported.  Other attacks were recorded  in Ukraine's Kharkiv and Kherson regions.
• New US aid:  The United States is set to announce  a $1.2 billion aid package  to Ukraine as early as Tuesday, according to a US official familiar with the package. It comes at a critical point with Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian forces looming. The package will include drones, artillery ammunition and air defense missiles as well as other capabilities, the official said.
• Wagner resupplies:  Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of Russian mercenary group Wagner, said preliminary information indicates that his fighters in the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut have  started to receive more ammunition . Prigozhin had repeatedly complained that his units were not receiving enough munitions from Russia’s defense establishment. Last week, he announced they would  withdraw from Bakhmut  — a threat he now appears to be rowing back on. 
• Mariupol mobilization:  Kremlin-backed authorities in the occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol are in the process of  mobilizing residents who have Russian passports , the exiled city council claimed on Telegram. Denis Pushilin, head of the Russian-backed self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, which administers Mariupol, signed a decree allowing the mobilization of Russian citizens in the occupied region on March 31. 
• Officials' departure:  A significant part of the Russian-installed administration of Skadovsk  left the occupied city near the Black Sea on Sunday, Ukrainian military officials said. The activities of Skadovsk’s district and city administrations were "suspended," the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in its daily update. On Saturday night, "the occupiers loaded documentation, office equipment, and other property of state institutions into vehicles," before leaving with their families on Sunday morning, the Ukrainian military said.

US set to announce $1.2 billion aid package to Ukraine ahead of counteroffensive

From CNN's Oren Liebermann

The United States is set to announce a $1.2 billion aid package to Ukraine as early as Tuesday, according to a US official familiar with the package. It comes at a critical point with Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian forces looming. 

The package will include drones, artillery ammunition and air defense missiles as well as other capabilities, the official said.

The package — first reported by the Associated Press — will fall under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which means it will be contracted and purchased from manufacturers instead of pulled directly from Defense Department stocks in a drawdown.

Instead of supplying Ukraine with the weapons it currently needs, USAI packages are intended to create a medium and long-term supply for Ukraine.

Last week, the Pentagon announced its 37th drawdown package for Ukraine since August 2021. The $300 million package included additional ammunition for the HIMARS rocket system, artillery and tank ammunition, anti-tank weapons and more. 

Russia launched its "most massive" attack with drones Monday, Kyiv mayor says

Russia's wave of strikes on Ukraine early Monday was its "most massive" drone attack since the invasion began last year, Kyiv mayor  Vitali Klitschko  said.

“I visited a high-rise building that was hit by fragments of a Russian drone at night,” Klitschko wrote in a statement on Telegram. “Last night, the barbarians staged the most massive attack with kamikaze drones. Almost 60 'Shaheds' were launched,” more than half of which targeted Kyiv, according to Klitschko.   

Other attacks were recorded in Ukraine's Kharkiv and Kherson regions.

The Ukrainian military said it repelled the assault on the capital, the latest in Moscow’s efforts to  wear down its air defense system . According to Kyiv's mayor, “36 drones flew to the capital” but were shot down by air defense forces.

“However, debris from several drones damaged some social facilities and a residential high-rise building in Sviatoshyn district,” Klitschko said.

The mayor said the drone attack did not cause any deaths, “but five people were injured in two districts of the city.” 

“Three of them were in high-rise buildings. Two victims were hospitalized, one of them underwent surgery. Doctors say that there is no threat to their lives,” he added.

Shahed drones  are manufactured in Iran and have been frequently deployed by Russian forces in Ukraine. 

Wagner forces in Bakhmut are receiving more ammunition, head of private military group says

From CNN’s Uliana Pavlova

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the private Russian military group Wagner, said on Monday that preliminary information indicates that his fighters in the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut have started to receive more ammunition.  

“Ammunition supplies, according to preliminary data, we continue to receive. I haven't seen it in person yet,” Prigozhin said in a voice memo posted to his Telegram channel late on Monday. 

Prigozhin has repeatedly complained that his Wagner units are not receiving enough ammunition from Russia’s defense establishment. Last week, he announced they would  withdraw from Bakhmut  — a threat he now appears to be rowing back on. 

Earlier Monday, a  Ukrainian commander in Bakhmut  said his unit faces “constant” shelling and had seen no evidence of the Russian ammunition shortage that Prigozhin had claimed.

Russia-backed officials depart occupied city on Black Sea, Ukraine's military says

From CNN’s Kostan Nechyporenko in Kyiv

A significant part of the Russian-installed administration of Skadovsk left the occupied city on Sunday, Ukrainian military officials said. 

The activities of Skadovsk’s district and city administrations were “suspended,” the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in its daily update.

On Saturday night, “the occupiers loaded documentation, office equipment, and other property of state institutions into vehicles,” before leaving with their families on Sunday morning, Ukrainian military officials said.

The General Staff claims the Russians planned to transport the “documents and looted property," by sea, further into Russian-held territory. 

Skadovsk sits on the Black Sea. 

The statement said similar activity was occurring in the nearby villages of Krasne, Shevchenko, Shyroke, Ulianivka and Petrivka, as well as in Mykhailivka — some 28 kilometers (17 miles) away. 

Mariupol occupiers are mobilizing Russian citizens, city's exiled council claims

Kremlin-backed authorities in the occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol are in the process of  mobilizing residents who have Russian passports , the exiled city council claimed on Telegram. 

“Mobilization has begun in Mariupol. This is reported by the city residents themselves,” the statement read, adding that men working in the public sector were the first to receive referrals from the military commissariat for medical examinations.

The Telegram post included a photo of a document which the authors said is a referral, received by a resident. 

"Draft boards have started working in Mariupol. The occupiers are already looking for citizens who do not fulfill their 'military obligations'. The enemy plans to conscript men until August," said Vadym Boichenko, the exiled Ukrainian mayor of Mariupol.

Denis Pushilin, head of the Russian-backed self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, which administers Mariupol, signed a decree allowing the mobilization of Russian citizens in the occupied region on March 31. 

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Russian cruise missile manufacturing faces setbacks due to Western sanctions - British intelligence

Russia is encountering difficulties in producing their Kh-101  cruise missiles  due to Western sanctions and the urgent need for rapid armament, the UK’s Defense Ministry reported on April 9.

The MoD came to this conclusion after analyzing satellite imagery from March 31, showing debris from a missile falling on a field in Russia’s Saratov Oblast.

Initially thought to be from a Ukrainian drone, closer inspection revealed the debris came from a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile.

The missile likely malfunctioned and mistakenly landed in Russia after being launched at Ukraine that same morning.

Read also: Russia ready to hit Ukraine with ‘accumulated’ stockpile of Kalibr cruise missiles, says intel chief

Saratov Oblast is known for being the home of the Engels airfield, where many of the strategic bombers, frequently used for missile strikes on Ukraine, are based.

The Kh-101 missile is Russia's primary high-precision guided munition, with a flight range of approximately 4,000 kilometers. Russia frequently employs it for strikes against Ukraine, particularly targeting energy infrastructure.

Russia launched a mass strike against Ukraine on the night of March 31, targeting Ukraine’s power grid. Air defense systems intercepted 18 targets, including nine Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles and nine Shahed-136/131 drones on that day.

Read also: Russia fires 8,000 missiles at Ukraine over two years – Ukrainian Air Force

An external surveillance camera captured an explosion in the sky above the Krasnoarmeyskyi district of Saratov Oblast the same day. Residents initially reported air defense activity on social media and later claimed that the air defense forces had downed a drone.

Photos of the debris later appeared online. Analysis of those photos revealed that the debris was similar to the tail section of a Kh-101 cruise missile, which Ukrainian air defense had previously downed on multiple occasions.

Russia has not officially commented on the incident.

Read also: Ukraine exposes Russia's use of 24 North Korean ballistic missiles

We’re bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron !

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine

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Russia-Ukraine war latest: Zelenskyy responds to Trump's 'peace plan'

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has responded to alleged comments from Donald Trump about how to end the war in Ukraine. Moscow has accused Kyiv of attacking a nuclear plant for three days in a row. Plus, our question form is open again to submit a question for our military analysts.

Wednesday 10 April 2024 16:30, UK

• Zelenskyy responds to Trump 'peace plan'
• Sharp increase in civilian casualties in Ukraine
• The situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
• The big picture : Everything you need to know about the war this week
• Your questions answered: Is it too late to save Ukraine?
• Live reporting by Emily Mee

Ask a question or make a comment

Our comments box is open once again for you to submit a question on the Ukraine war for Sky News military analysts or correspondents.

We'll pick the best one to answer each week.

Thanks for following along today - here is a quick reminder of what has been happening. 

We've been hearing from Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who pushed back on alleged comments from Donald Trump saying Ukraine should cede some of its occupied territory to Russia. 

Mr Zelenskyy said this was a "primitive" suggestion, but added he would be willing to listen to Mr Trump's ideas if he had "strong arguments". 

He was not the only prominent politician to criticise the former US president's alleged remarks. 

Lord Cameron, the UK foreign secretary, said peace in Ukraine could only come from backing Kyiv, rather than through "appeasement" of Russia. 

Elsewhere, a top US general warned Ukraine will run out of air defences "in fairly short order". 

General Christopher Cavoli said the "stakes are very high" for Ukraine. 

• The UN recorded a sharp increase in civilian casualties in Ukraine in March 
• A child was killed in Kharkiv after Russia launched an attack using guided aerial bombs 
• Switzerland will host a high level Ukraine peace conference in June. 

Members of the Siberian Battalion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' International Legion have been pictured taking part in military exercises at an undisclosed location in the Kyiv region today.

A top US general has warned Ukraine will run out of artillery shells and air defence interceptors "in fairly short order" without further American support. 

They told Congress the "stakes are very high" for Ukraine. 

The comments echo those by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who warned over the weekend that Ukraine could run out of air defence missiles if Russia keeps up its intense bombardment campaign. 

"If they keep hitting [Ukraine] every day the way they have for the last month, we might run out of missiles, and the partners know it," he said.

In an update to our last post, the regional governor of Ukraine's Kharkiv region has said this afternoon's airstrike in the village of Lyptsi killed three people.

In a post on Telegram, Oleh Synehubov said that as well as the 14-year-old girl's death we reported earlier, two women were killed in the attack.

Two more people were injured, and rescuers continue searching through the rubble for victims.

Local authorities are reporting a child has been killed and at least three others injured in an attack on the Kharkiv region. 

Russian guided aerial bombs struck the Lyptsi, Mala Danylivka, and Vovchansk settlements, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said. 

The governor said the local shop and pharmacy caught fire during the attacks. 

A 14-year-old girl was killed and at least two people - a 33-year-old female pharmacy worker and a 16-year-old boy - were injured in Lyptsi. 

In Vovchansk, a 34-year-old man was taken to hospital with a shrapnel wound. 

Mr Syniehubov said the local health centre was destroyed. 

The Swiss government has said it will host a high-level Ukraine peace conference in June.

It said that the conference's aim is to create a concrete roadmap for Russia's participation in the peace process. 

But Russia has made clear it will not take part in the initiative. 

The conference will take place on 15 and 16 June outside the city of Lucerne. 

A G7 summit is taking place in neighbouring Italy between 13 and 15 June.

Switzerland had said in January it would host a peace summit at the request of Volodymyr Zelenskyy and has since held talks with the EU, G7 member states and countries such as China and India to garner their support. 

"There is currently sufficient international support for a high-level conference to launch the peace process," the Federal Council said in a statement. 

It acknowledged "some unknowns" leading up to the conference, "but in view of Switzerland's long-standing diplomatic tradition and the encouraging feedback received during the exploratory phase, it considers it its responsibility to contribute to the peace process in Ukraine."

The UK foreign secretary has said peace in Ukraine can only come from backing Kyiv, rather than through "appeasement" of Russia. 

His comments appear to be a rebuttal of alleged remarks from Donald Trump that Ukraine should give up some of its occupied territory to end the war. 

Lord Cameron told CNN: "Without saying what I spoke [about] with Donald Trump, fundamentally, this year - and you heard from Zelenskyy this morning - there's a risk that Ukraine will lose more ground to [Vladimir] Putin.

"No one wants to be in a situation in November where we could have acted, we could have helped, we could have beaten back Putin, we could have started the process of getting a Ukraine win and getting a just peace but we failed to do that."

Asked about Mr Trump's alleged comments, he said everyone wants to see an end to the war "but you only get that by backing Ukraine, by showing strength". 

"Peace comes through strength, not through appeasement and weakness," he said. 

Over the past week we've been asking for your questions on the war for our military analysts and international correspondents.

Every week we're picking one or two to answer - starting with this...

With the (lack of) speed of Western policies being implemented and the speed of Russian military production increasing, isn't it already too late to save Ukraine even if European countries agreed on a huge increase in military spending? Andy

Military analyst Sean Bell answers this one...

Thank you, Andy, for this very topical question. 

Wars at scale involve the consumption of huge amounts of weapons, ammunition and military equipment - far beyond the scale that can be held in peacetime stockpiles, and also beyond the capacity of a peacetime defence industrial base. To meet the demands of a modern battlefield, political masters need to make swift decisions about where to invest and what existing production capability can be paused to create capacity to surge military production.

Russia recognised early that it would be involved in a long-term military campaign, and has surged its defence industrial base by at least three times its pre-war size. In addition, Russian oil revenues are funding vast imports of ammunition and missiles from North Korea and Iran.  

In contrast, Ukraine's own defence industrial base remains vulnerable to Russian attack, and it remains increasingly dependent on Western military support to survive. 

Although Western industrial capacity is an order of magnitude greater than Russia's, Russia is ramping up production where the West has been slow to respond.

Western nations now recognise the wider threat that Russia poses to European security, and defence budgets are rising accordingly.  But this represents long-term investment in domestic security, rather than providing a near-term supply of weapons for Ukraine.  

The only credible solution in the near-term - the coming year - is for the US to approve the $60bn military aid package which would enable the rapid deployment of off-the-shelf weapons and ammunition. If that is not forthcoming, the coming summer could prove very difficult for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, continues to argue the West should not rule out putting "boots on the ground" - a view supported by former UK defence secretary Ben Wallace.  Although this would be a significant escalation, it would enable the West to deploy modern weapons from its inventory which - to date - have not been sent to Ukraine for fear of them ending up on the black market.

The West could also implement a no-fly zone over all or part of Ukraine. Given the poor performance of the Russian air force, this would almost certainly turn the tide of the war in Ukraine's favour.  

But is there the political appetite to take such a step - even if it would almost certainly halt Vladimir Putin's brutal war in Ukraine?

The two countries have signed a framework agreement to cooperate in the defence and arms production sectors, officials in Kyiv have said. 

The document was signed at a military industry conference in the Ukrainian capital that was attended by about 30 British defence companies. 

British firms were there to discuss potential joint ventures with Ukrainian weapons and defence producers.

The UK's minister for trade policy Greg Hands said he hoped the agreement would bring gains for Ukraine on the battlefield and also help its economy in the longer term. 

Ukraine has been ramping up efforts to produce its own weaponry as it appears outgunned and outmanned on the battlefield. 

It is hoping also to lure major Western producers to set up repair and production facilities in Ukraine, despite the threat of Russian bombardment. 

British defence company BAE Systems, one of the first Western producers to set up a local entity in Ukraine, signed an agreement with the UK's defence ministry to conduct maintenance, repair and overhaul of light guns on the ground in Ukraine. 

Officials also said they hoped for more projects this year in the drone production sector. 

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has responded to alleged comments from Donald Trump about how to end the war in Ukraine. 

The former US president, who wants to make it into the White House again in November, reportedly said privately that both Ukraine and Russia "want to save face, they want a way out".

Mr Trump allegedly added that Ukraine should cede part of its occupied territories to Moscow, claiming Ukrainians there would not object to being part of Russia, according to the Washington Post.

His adviser later denied these claims in a comment for the New York Post, calling the article "fake news". 

Mr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Bild that he is sceptical of this reported peace plan. 

"If the deal and the idea is simply to give our territories, then it is very primitive," Mr Zelenskyy said. 

The Ukrainian president said he was willing to listen to Mr Trump's ideas for ending the war if he had "strong arguments". 

"We don't need a fantastic idea, but a real one. This is about human lives; we cannot make jokes, and we cannot take risks," he said. 

He also pointed out Kyiv had invited Mr Trump to Ukraine, publicly and non-publicly, to see the situation with his own eyes. 

The US politician has not accepted the invitation so far. 

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North Korea says leader Kim supervised tests of cruise missiles designed to be fired from submarines

North Korea tested a “newly-developed submarine-launched strategic cruise missile”, the official KCNA reported. The test took place Sunday, with leader Kim Jong Un watching.

This photo provided by the North Korean government, shows what it says a test firing of Pulhwasal-3-31 in North Korea Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

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This photo provided by the North Korean government, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, as he inspects a test firing of Pulhwasal-3-31 in North Korea Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, inspects what it says a test firing of Pulhwasal-3-31 in North Korea Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised test-firings of new cruise missiles designed to be launched from submarines and also reviewed efforts to build a nuclear-powered submarine while reiterating his goal of building a nuclear-armed navy to counter what he portrays as growing external threats, state media said Monday.

The report came a day after South Korea’s military said it detected North Korea firing multiple cruise missiles over waters near the eastern port of Sinpo, where the North has a major shipyard developing submarines. It was the latest in a streak of weapons demonstrations by North Korea amid increasing tensions with the United States, South Korea and Japan.

North Korea’s official newspaper Rodong Sinmun published photos of what appeared to be at least two missiles fired separately. Both created grayish-white clouds as they broke the water surface and soared into the air at an angle of around 45 degrees, which possibly suggests they were fired from torpedo launch tubes.

State media said the missiles were Pulhwasal-3-31, a new type of weapon first tested last week in land-based launches from North Korea’s western coast.

The reports implied that two missiles were fired during the test. KCNA said the missiles flew more than two hours before accurately striking an island target, but it did not specify the vessel used for the launches. North Korea in past years has fired missiles both from developmental, missile-firing submarines and underwater test platforms built on barges.

Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the South Korean and U.S. militaries were analyzing the launches, including the possibility that the North exaggerated the flight times.

In recent years, North Korea has tested a variety of missiles designed to be fired from submarines as it pursues the ability to conduct nuclear strikes from underwater. In theory, such capacity would bolster its deterrent by ensuring a survivable capability to retaliate after absorbing a nuclear attack on land.

Missile-firing submarines would also add a maritime threat to the North’s growing collection of solid-fuel weapons fired from land vehicles that are designed to overwhelm missile defenses of South Korea, Japan and the United States.

Still, it would take considerable time, resources and technological improvements for the heavily sanctioned nation to build a fleet of at least several submarines that could travel quietly and execute attacks reliably, analysts say.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency said Kim expressed satisfaction after the missiles accurately hit their sea targets during Sunday’s test.

He then issued unspecified important tasks for “realizing the nuclear weaponization of the navy and expanding the sphere of operation,” which he described as crucial goals considering the “prevailing situation and future threats,” the report said. KCNA said Kim was also briefed on efforts to develop a nuclear-propelled submarine and other advanced naval vessels.

Kim issued similar comments about a nuclear-armed navy in September while attending the launching ceremony of what the North described as a new submarine capable of firing tactical nuclear weapons from underwater . He said then that the country was pursuing a nuclear-propelled submarine and that it plans to remodel existing submarines and surface vessels so they can handle nuclear weapons.

Nuclear-propelled submarines can quietly travel long distances and approach enemy shores to deliver strikes, which would bolster Kim’s declared aim of building a nuclear arsenal that could viably threaten the U.S. mainland. But experts say such vessels are likely unfeasible for the North without external assistance in the near-term.

North Korea has an estimated 70 to 90 diesel-powered submarines in one of the world’s largest submarine fleets. But they are mostly aging vessels capable of launching only torpedoes and mines.

South Korea’s military said the submarine unveiled by North Korea in September, the “Hero Kim Kun Ok,” didn’t look ready for operational duty and suggested the North was exaggerating its capabilities.

The submarine appeared to have at least 10 launch tubes possibly designed for missiles. The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the North would have needed to increase the size of the bridge and other parts of the original vessel to accommodate missile launch systems, but that the appearance of the vessel suggested it could “not be operated normally.”

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have increased in recent months as Kim accelerates his weapons development and issues provocative threats of nuclear conflict with the U.S. and its Asian allies.

The U.S., South Korea and Japan in response have been expanding their combined military exercises, which Kim condemns as invasion rehearsals, and sharpening their deterrence strategies built around nuclear-capable U.S. assets.

The recent cruise missile launches followed a Jan. 14 test firing of North Korea’s first solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missile, which reflected Kim’s efforts to expand his arsenal of weapons designed to overwhelm missile defenses in South Korea and Japan and remote U.S. targets in the Pacific, including Guam.

Follow AP’s Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific

Breaking News

Russian missile strikes in Ukraine kill 8 and wound 12, hitting homes and a kindergarten

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Russian missile strikes in Ukraine overnight and on Saturday killed eight people and wounded 12 more, officials said.

According to the governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleh Syniehubov, six people were killed and 11 were wounded in overnight missile attacks on the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest. The attack damaged residential buildings, a gas station, a kindergarten, a cafe, a shop and cars.

On Saturday afternoon, a further strike on Kharkiv killed another person and left one more person wounded, said Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov. Another missile strike killed a civilian in the southern Odesa region, its governor Oleh Kiper reported.

Overall, Russia fired 32 Iranian-made Shahed drones and six missiles at Ukraine overnight, according to the air force commander. Ukrainian air defense forces shot down three cruise missiles and 28 drones, Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk said in a statement.

“Russian killers continue to terrorize Ukrainians and attack Kharkiv and other peaceful cities,” he said.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said the overnight attacks targeted Ukraine’s military enterprises that “produced and repaired armored vehicles and vehicles, drones” as well as “military airfields” and areas where “foreign mercenaries” were allegedly stationed. The ministry claimed all the set targets were hit.

It also said that Ukraine on Saturday morning fired Vampire rockets at Russia. All 10 were shot down over Russia’s border region of Belgorod by air defense systems, the ministry said.

Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said the rockets were shot down as they were approaching the city of Belgorod, the capital of the region of the same name, and added that 12 residential buildings in the city were damaged. In a nearby village, a private house burned down and several other buildings were damaged, Gladkov said.

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It wasn’t immediately clear from his statement whether the damage was inflicted by falling debris from the intercepted rockets or whether some of them actually hit those buildings.

On the ground in Ukraine, Russian forces were advancing, and pushing back against them was “difficult,” said Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine’s armed forces.

Syrksyi said the situation in the Bakhmut area in the partially occupied eastern Donetsk region was particularly challenging. He said Russian forces are carrying out offensive operations day and night, using assault groups with the support of armored vehicles, as well as assaults on foot.

Fierce battles are taking place east of the town of Chasiv Yar, which Ukraine still controls and which is located near the occupied city of Bakhmut.

Russian forces are trying to break through defensive lines there, Syrskyi said on the messaging app Telegram, adding, “Chasiv Yar remains under our control, all enemy attempts to break through to the settlement have failed.”

Near Avdiivka, another city in the Donetsk region held by the Russians, the fiercest battles were occurring in Pervomaiskyi and Vodyanyi, according to the official. He also said the situation is tense on the southern and northeastern parts of the front line.

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