Ukraine Uses Western Missiles to Strike Russian Rear Military Factories

Reference News Network reported on November 6 According to the German magazine Der Spiegel website on November 3, "Hit the archer, not the arrow." This is an old military proverb. To protect itself from Russian missile attacks, Ukraine must not only hit the archer but also destroy the arrow at the same time. Due to a lack of ammunition, especially anti-aircraft missiles, Ukraine is increasingly in a state of helplessness in defense against Russian airstrikes. To cut off the supply of offensive weapons to its opponent, Kyiv has now begun to attack Russian military factories in the rear and has achieved success: in the past few days, it has struck four Russian military facilities.

These military factories are mostly located not far from the Russia-Ukraine border, producing various components or raw materials needed for missiles.

This new tactic of Ukraine has become possible, evidently because a new batch of British and French cruise missiles has arrived. The "Storm Shadow" missile has long been in use in Ukraine, with a range of 300 kilometers. Due to its stealth characteristics, it is difficult for Russian air defense systems to detect them. Therefore, they have a significant advantage over Ukraine's domestically produced guided weapons.

Ukraine had previously attempted to strike at Russian military production. Its self-developed FP-5 "Flamingo" cruise missile, although having a range far exceeding that of the "Storm Shadow," has a bulky design and a large radar cross-section. As a result, it is easily detected by Russian reconnaissance systems.

This summer, Ukraine successfully hit Russian rear factories twice with the "Flamingo" missile. However, Russia shot down many of these missiles, forcing the missile manufacturer "Fuel Point" to make some adjustments. In addition to the "Flamingo" and "Storm Shadow," Ukrainians are also using the shorter-range "Neptune" cruise missiles and long-range drones.

Douglas Barrie, a military expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in the UK, explained that the Russian air defense system is overwhelmed, stating, "The Russians have a large stockpile, but it is not infinite. Moreover, they have to defend a vast country." The Russians must set priorities. According to Barrie, the production base in Yelabuga, which produces the formidable "Geranium" drones, is under tight protection. Ukraine has attempted to strike this factory but initially failed due to the dense air defense network.

Barrie stated that, along with other measures, strikes on military factories could disrupt the supply chain and at least reduce Russian airstrikes. He said, "Missile attacks are always intermittent because weapons are usually deployed directly from factories to the battlefield."

Additionally, Ukraine has recently been more frequently targeting Russian aircraft parked on the ground. Such strikes can reduce the number of bombers transporting guided weapons in the long term.

Ukraine must continue to maintain this pressure.

The supply of "Storm Shadow" missiles is becoming increasingly difficult as they have been discontinued. The UK and France originally planned to resume production, but that plan seems to have been shelved again. An alternative is the German "Taurus" cruise missile, but the German government has firmly refused to provide it.

Therefore, Ukrainians may increasingly rely on their own weapons. In addition to the "Flamingo" and "Neptune," they have also developed ballistic missiles. The FP-7 and FP-9 ballistic missiles are more suitable for striking moving targets rather than large factories. Furthermore, like the "Flamingo," they were designed under wartime conditions, with no opportunity for long-term testing, and their actual performance remains in question. (Translated by Nie Litiao)