A recently manufactured Russian missile recovered by Ukrainian forces suggests the invading army is running low on stocks of some advanced weapons, and is having to produce them more quickly to maintain the intensity of its war.
The finding of a rocket with an unusually late production date was revealed by pictures analyzed by StateWatch, a Ukrainian nongovernmental organization, and Bloomberg News. It adds to other evidence that the Russians are under pressure to fire missiles as soon as they roll off manufacturing lines to defy international sanctions and Western predictions they would run out.
Almost 18 months into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine, there is no sign the war is nearing an end. Russian forces are entrenched in the occupied territories while Ukraine’s counteroffensive has made limited ground. That means supplies of ammunition and advanced weapons — including precision-guided missiles and rockets — will remain critical to both sides.