Russia Counting On Cruise Missiles To Disrupt AFU Counteroffensive - British Intelligence

Russia views cruise missiles like the Kalibr as a key potential for disrupting an expected counteroffensive by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but their stockpile is likely limited.

This is stated in the intelligence review of the British Ministry of Defense on May 12.

"On the night of May 8-9, 2023, ships of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation launched eight SS-N-30a SAGARIS (Kalibr cruise missiles) on Ukraine. This was only the second use of these missiles by the Russian Navy since March 9, 2023," the message says.

It is noted that until March 2023, the Russian fleet often launched Kalibrs. It is likely that Russia temporarily suspended the use of these weapons because it wanted to restore its reserve stockpile.

British intelligence believes that, in the short term, Russia is likely to view cruise missiles as a key tool for launching strikes deep into Ukraine to thwart expected Ukrainian counteroffensives.

More strategically, however, Russia also sees the Kalibr and other cruise missiles as playing an important role in any hypothetical conflict with NATO.

"How to use these scarce and expensive weapons is one of the many dilemmas facing the Russian command, as the war in Ukraine has lasted much longer than they had originally planned," the message states.

It will be recalled that, according to Maliar, Ukraine conducts counterattacks within the limits of defense. She also believes that the occupiers are spreading lies about the lack of weapons in Bakhmut.