Wreckage of Russian Ch‑101 missile found near Kyiv Children's Hospital

Ukrainian services found the wreckage of a Russian missile in Kyiv, specifically near the Ohmatdyt Children's Hospital. This confirms exactly what weapon the Russians used in the shelling.

Russian armed forces once again targeted civilian buildings in Ukraine with deadly missiles. This time, the target was Kyiv's Children's Hospital.

The findings indicate that the Russians used one of the newest designs in their arsenal – the Ch-101 missile. Fragments of this weapon, particularly the rear part of its fuselage, were identified near the Ohmatdyt Children's Hospital.

The Ch-101, which was found in Kyiv, is a missile that was continuously developed by the Russian Federation. The fourth version is in use, although it is not confirmed that this generation was used to strike Kyiv.

The first version of the Ch-101 was equipped with a basic optical system based on a single lens and had one warhead. In the second version, the Russians improved the optical system by adding two more lenses and a jamming defence system. Adding a second warhead, the third version of the Ch-101 was enhanced in terms of offensive capabilities. The latest, fourth version of the Ch-101 also includes two warheads, but one is a cluster warhead.

Let's remember that the Ch-101 missiles are one of the greatest threats to Ukrainians that the Russian Federation possesses. This is because this missile is characterized by high strike precision. This is ensured by the Otblesk-U guidance module, which compares the view from above during flight with the one stored in the weapon's memory before launch. Thanks to this, the Ch-101 hits with an accuracy of up to a few metres.

The Ch-101's range is also significant. According to available sources, it can reach up to 4,989 kilometres. Since the Russian Federation does not need such a long-range to shell Ukraine, it may have been reduced in favour of enhancing the warheads. In the fourth generation of the Ch-101, these pose a significant threat to Ukrainians.

This mainly results from the cluster warhead, which scatters dozens of smaller submunitions over a large area during a diving flight. The modernized Ch-101 missile likely contains about 60 small submunitions. However, it is worth noting that there is no 100 percent certainty that this version of the missile with the cluster warhead was used in the attack on the Kyiv hospital. The wreckage only confirms that the Russians used the Ch-101, but there is no evidence confirming that it was the fourth version of this missile, which can accelerate to about 1,000 km/h.