Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

The Ukrainian military has claimed that Russia is now using nuclear-capable missiles with non-explosive warheads against the country's air defences. Military official Mykola Danyliuk showed fragments of what he claimed are parts of Soviet-made Kh-55 cruise missiles that are designed for nuclear use. He said that they are being used to "exhaust the air-defence system of our country".&nbsp;

"This is a substitute for a thermo-nuclear guided charge," he said.

Danyliuk said the Kh-55 had not been used by Russia in Ukraine before October&nbsp;31.&nbsp;

The official added that the pieces were tested and they did not show abnormal levels of radioactivity. Ukraine believes that having carried out several missile strikes against the country's infrastructure, Moscow's arsenal has depleted significantly. This is why it is now using blunt projectiles that still cause devastation.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-asks-elon-musk-to-visit-ukraine-before-making-peace-overtures-538990">Zelensky urges Elon Musk to visit Ukraine before proposing peace with Russia</a>

"The use of such missiles is intended to distract the attention of Ukraine's air defence system and tire it out." Danyliuk also said that all the Kh-55 missiles that had been discovered had their serial numbers scratched out.

&nbsp;Kh-55 cruise missiles &nbsp;are also known as AS-15 by Nato, and the pieces were found in the Lviv and Khmelnytsky regions. The missiles were designed during Soviet times to hit "strategic targets with predetermined co-ordinates".&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the UK said the missiles were designed "exclusively as a nuclear delivery system". However, it seems the Russian military removed the nuclear warheads and replaced them with an inert system before firing them.

Danyliuk noted that the missile could cause enough damage even with a non-explosive warhead because of its kinetic energy and fuel residues.

"This is evidenced by the latest strike when a Kh-55 missile hit a residential building," he said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's top security officials have ordered an investigation into the activities of a branch of the Orthodox Church linked historically to Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday.

He added that the probe would look into whether the Moscow branch of the church was entitled to operate at one of Ukraine's most hallowed sites, the Pechersk Lavra complex in Kyiv.

The Orthodox Church in Russia has backed Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

"We have to create conditions so that no actors dependent on the aggressor state (Russia) can manipulate Ukrainians and weaken Ukraine from within," Zelenskiy said in a video address.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. The Ukrainian military has claimed that Russia is now using nuclear-capable missiles with non-explosive warheads against the country's air defences. Military official Mykola Danyliuk showed fragments of what he claimed are parts of Soviet-made Kh-55 cruise missiles that are designed for nuclear use. He said that they are being used to "exhaust the air-defence system of our country". "This is a substitute for a thermo-nuclear guided charge," he said. Danyliuk said the Kh-55 had not been used by Russia in Ukraine before October 31. The official added that the pieces were tested and they did not show abnormal levels of radioactivity. Ukraine believes that having carried out several missile strikes against the country's infrastructure, Moscow's arsenal has depleted significantly. This is why it is now using blunt projectiles that still cause devastation. Also Read | Zelensky urges Elon Musk to visit Ukraine before proposing peace with Russia "The use of such missiles is intended to distract the attention of Ukraine's air defence system and tire it out." Danyliuk also said that all the Kh-55 missiles that had been discovered had their serial numbers scratched out. Kh-55 cruise missiles are also known as AS-15 by Nato, and the pieces were found in the Lviv and Khmelnytsky regions. The missiles were designed during Soviet times to hit "strategic targets with predetermined co-ordinates". Meanwhile, the UK said the missiles were designed "exclusively as a nuclear delivery system". However, it seems the Russian military removed the nuclear warheads and replaced them with an inert system before firing them. Danyliuk noted that the missile could cause enough damage even with a non-explosive warhead because of its kinetic energy and fuel residues. "This is evidenced by the latest strike when a Kh-55 missile hit a residential building," he said. Meanwhile, Ukraine's top security officials have ordered an investigation into the activities of a branch of the Orthodox Church linked historically to Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday. He added that the probe would look into whether the Moscow branch of the church was entitled to operate at one of Ukraine's most hallowed sites, the Pechersk Lavra complex in Kyiv. The Orthodox Church in Russia has backed Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. "We have to create conditions so that no actors dependent on the aggressor state (Russia) can manipulate Ukrainians and weaken Ukraine from within," Zelenskiy said in a video address. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia is using dummy nuclear-capable missiles to distract air defences, claims Kyiv

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;

Russia is reported to be removing nuclear warheads from ageing nuclear cruise missiles and firing unarmed munitions at Ukraine, Britain's military intelligence said on Saturday. The development comes a day after President Vladimir Putin of Russia assured bereaved families of Russian soldiers that Moscow's goals will be achieved soon.

"We must achieve our goals and we will achieve them in the end. I personally and the entire leadership of the country share this pain," AFP quoted Putin as saying.

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The UK defence ministry claimed that an&nbsp;open source imagery "shows the wreckage of an air-launched cruise missile fired at Ukraine which seems to have been designed in the 1980s as a nuclear delivery system", adding that ballast was probably being substituted for the warheads.

"Such a system will still produce damage through the missile's kinetic energy and unspent fuel. However, it is unlikely to achieve reliable effects against intended targets," the ministry added in its daily intelligence update posted on Twitter.

WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-war-russia-targets-ukrainian-energy-centres-water-services-suspended-in-kyiv-536920">Russia-Ukraine war: Russia targets Ukrainian energy centres; Water services 'suspended' in Kyiv</a>

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"Whatever Russia's intent, this improvisation highlights the level of depletion in Russia's stock of long-range missiles", the ministry said.

The ministry said that the warhead had probably been substituted for ballast. "Although such an inert system will still produce some damage through the missile’s kinetic energy and any unspent fuel, it is unlikely to achieve reliable effects against intended targets," it said.&nbsp;

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Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 26 November 2022 
 
Find out more about the UK government's response: <a href="https://t.co/htZ2ZsfvmF">https://t.co/htZ2ZsfvmF</a> 
 
🇺🇦 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StandWithUkraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StandWithUkraine</a> 🇺🇦 <a href="https://t.co/RZ6by8tN5p">pic.twitter.com/RZ6by8tN5p</a>
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/1596389927733927937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Ukrainian media had earlier reported on November 26 that a Russian Kh-55 missile that was downed over Kyiv on November 17 was originally intended to carry a nuclear payload.&nbsp;

Russia possesses a total of 5,977 nuclear warheads as of 2022, the largest stockpile of nuclear warheads in the world. The second-largest stockpile is the United States' 5,428 warheads. Russia's deployed missiles (those actually ready to be launched) number about 1,588, second to the United States’ 1,644.

(With inputs from agencies)
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Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. Russia is reported to be removing nuclear warheads from ageing nuclear cruise missiles and firing unarmed munitions at Ukraine, Britain's military intelligence said on Saturday. The development comes a day after President Vladimir Putin of Russia assured bereaved families of Russian soldiers that Moscow's goals will be achieved soon. "We must achieve our goals and we will achieve them in the end. I personally and the entire leadership of the country share this pain," AFP quoted Putin as saying. ALSO READ | Putin offers condolences to mothers of soldiers killed in Ukraine, says Russia 'will achieve' its goals The UK defence ministry claimed that an open source imagery "shows the wreckage of an air-launched cruise missile fired at Ukraine which seems to have been designed in the 1980s as a nuclear delivery system", adding that ballast was probably being substituted for the warheads. "Such a system will still produce damage through the missile's kinetic energy and unspent fuel. However, it is unlikely to achieve reliable effects against intended targets," the ministry added in its daily intelligence update posted on Twitter. WATCH | Russia-Ukraine war: Russia targets Ukrainian energy centres; Water services 'suspended' in Kyiv × "Whatever Russia's intent, this improvisation highlights the level of depletion in Russia's stock of long-range missiles", the ministry said. The ministry said that the warhead had probably been substituted for ballast. "Although such an inert system will still produce some damage through the missile’s kinetic energy and any unspent fuel, it is unlikely to achieve reliable effects against intended targets," it said. Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 26 November 2022 Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/htZ2ZsfvmF 🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/RZ6by8tN5p — Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) November 26, 2022 × Ukrainian media had earlier reported on November 26 that a Russian Kh-55 missile that was downed over Kyiv on November 17 was originally intended to carry a nuclear payload. Russia possesses a total of 5,977 nuclear warheads as of 2022, the largest stockpile of nuclear warheads in the world. The second-largest stockpile is the United States' 5,428 warheads. Russia's deployed missiles (those actually ready to be launched) number about 1,588, second to the United States’ 1,644. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Stock depleted, Russia firing cruise missiles with nuclear warheads removed, claims UK

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Russia is using dummy nuclear-capable missiles to distract air defences, claims Kyiv

Stock depleted, Russia firing cruise missiles with nuclear warheads removed, claims UK