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Kh-101
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Kh-101

Russia's primary air-launched cruise missile; vulnerable to Ukrainian GPS jamming the Izdeliye-30 was built to solve.

Last refreshed: 13 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

Ukraine can jam the Kh-101; so why does Russia keep firing them?

Timeline for Kh-101

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Common Questions
What is the Kh-101 missile?
Russia's primary air-launched cruise missile with a range of 4,500-5,500 km. It uses GPS/GLONASS guidance and is launched from Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers.
Can Ukraine shoot down the Kh-101?
Yes. Ukrainian air defences intercepted 58 of 68 missiles in the 13-14 March 2026 barrage, an 85% rate. Ukraine also uses electronic warfare to jam GPS guidance and divert Kh-101s from their targets.Source: Ukrainian Air Force
What is the difference between Kh-101 and Izdeliye-30?
Both are Russian air-launched Cruise Missiles, but the Kh-101's GPS guidance is vulnerable to Ukrainian electronic warfare jamming. The Izdeliye-30 was built with jam-resistant navigation to solve this vulnerability.

Background

The Kh-101 is Russia's primary air-launched cruise missile, carried by Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers. It has a reported range of 4,500-5,500 km and uses GPS/GLONASS satellite guidance combined with terrain-following radar for precision strikes. Manufactured by the Raduga Design Bureau, it entered service around 2012 and has been used extensively in both the Syrian and Ukrainian campaigns.

In the Russia-Ukraine war, the Kh-101 has been a mainstay of Russia's long-range strike campaigns against Energy infrastructure and civilian targets. In the 13-14 March 2026 barrage, Russia fired 24 Kh-101s alongside 25 Kalibr Cruise Missiles, 7 Iskander-M ballistics, and 430 drones in the war's heaviest combined assault. Ukrainian air defences intercepted 58 of 68 missiles launched that night, an 85% interception rate.

However, the Kh-101's critical vulnerability is its GPS guidance. Ukraine's electronic warfare capability has proven able to jam GPS signals and divert Kh-101s from their targets, giving cities a degree of protection that physical interceptors alone could not match. This vulnerability drove Russia to develop the Izdeliye-30, a newer cruise missile with jam-resistant satellite navigation designed specifically to defeat Ukrainian electronic warfare. The Kh-101 remains in heavy use, but its role as Russia's precision strike weapon is being supplemented by a missile built to overcome the countermeasure that made it unreliable.

More questions
How many Kh-101 missiles has Russia fired?
Russia has fired hundreds of Kh-101s since 2022. In a single barrage on 13-14 March 2026, 24 Kh-101s were launched alongside 25 Kalibr missiles, 7 Iskander-Ms, and 430 drones.Source: Ukrainian Air Force
What is the range of the Kh-101?
The Kh-101 has a reported range of approximately 4,500-5,500 km, allowing it to be launched from deep inside Russian airspace by strategic bombers without entering Ukrainian air defence zones.
Why does Russia still use the Kh-101 if Ukraine can jam it?
Volume. Russia fires Kh-101s in combined barrages with drones, Ballistic Missiles, and Kalibrs to saturate Ukrainian air defences. Even with 85% interception, the remaining missiles can hit critical infrastructure.Source: event