Russia able to produce missiles by circumventing sanctions – Air Force spox

Russia continues to receive components and manufacture new missiles because it circumvents international sanctions.

Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said this in an interview with the Ukrainska Pravda news outlet, according to Ukrinform.

"Unfortunately, Russia receives components. Unfortunately, it continues production. The enemy did not have enough high-precision, long-range missiles - Kh-101, Iskander-M, Iskander-K, Kalibr, Kinzhal – that can reach [targets] far inside the country and strike accurately. When they attacked our critical infrastructure, they used virtually all of their potential of this strategic weaponry. But in the spring there was a short pause, when the enemy increased production. And according to new data from the Main Intelligence Directorate, they already have more Kinzhals and Kalibrs," he said.

In his opinion, Russia has obviously found an opportunity to circumvent sanctions at the expense of individual countries that cooperate with it, and receives technological things that it cannot manufacture itself: circuit boards, chips, semiconductors.

"Therefore, I hope that sanctions will help put more pressure on Russia. If the sanctions work comprehensively and are controlled, then it will be possible to put Russia in its place," Ihnat said.

In May, Ukraine's air defense forces destroyed 7 Kinzhal supersonic missiles, 13 Iskander ballistic missiles, 65 cruise missiles and 169 unmanned aerial vehicles over Kyiv.