Russia is developing a new modification of the Kinzhal missile due to possible accuracy problems - GUR

Russia is working on a new modification of the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missile, which is planned to be equipped with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead. The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine suggests that such changes may be related to problems with missile guidance accuracy.

GUR reported this on October 12, publishing new data on the design, components and manufacturers of Russian weapons on the War&Sanctions portal.

According to intelligence, the Kinzhal is a single-stage solid-propellant missile, approximately 90% of whose components are unified with the 9M723 ballistic missile of the Iskander-M complex. Among the features of the aeroballistic missile are a radar homing head, an active jamming station and a decoy ejection system.

Currently, two types of warheads are provided for the Kinzhal: a penetrating high-explosive, designed to destroy protected structures, and a special nuclear one. At the same time, Russian developers are working on a variant with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead.

GUR suggests that changing the type of warhead may be a consequence of insufficient missile guidance accuracy. For the effective use of a penetrating warhead, which must penetrate concrete floors and fortified structures, hit accuracy is especially important. However, intelligence does not report that the new modification has already been adopted or is being used against Ukraine.

According to GUR, in 2026 Russia also significantly reduced the state defense order for the production of Kinzhals, reorienting part of the capacity, components and raw materials to the manufacture of Iskander-M ballistic missiles.

Another limitation remains the service life of carrier aircraft - MiG-31I and MiG-31K. The Russian aviation industry currently does not produce new aircraft of these types, which also affects the prospects for further use of aeroballistic missiles.

Besides technical characteristics, Ukrainian intelligence published data on 58 Russian enterprises involved in the production of Kinzhals. According to GUR, 22 of them are still not under sanctions of any of the countries of the sanctions coalition.

Intelligence emphasizes that despite the identified shortcomings, Russia continues to modernize these missiles. To limit its production capabilities, GUR calls on international partners to coordinate sanctions against all involved enterprises and strengthen control over the supply of technologies used by the Russian military-industrial complex.

Materials: GUR MO of Ukraine - War&Sanctions, GUR MO of Ukraine