The missile that hit Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital on July 8, 2024, was manufactured in the Russian Federation just weeks, or possibly days, before the attack.

This was established by Conflict Armament Research (CAR) investigators.

On July 30, 2024, CAR investigators documented the remains of a missile that struck the National Children’s Specialized Hospital “Okhmatdyt” in Kyiv.

CAR identified the missile as an Kh-101. This assessment aligns with statements made by other research organizations, which reached similar conclusions after analyzing video footage of the attack.

The investigators’ analysis, based on trace evidence from the wreckage, shows that the missile that targeted the Okhmatdyt hospital was manufactured at most three months before the attack, and possibly as early as eight days before.

The researchers documented parts of a 13-digit production number (31526379XXXXX) on the tail of the missile. This format matches the markings documented on 11 other Russian Kh-101 missiles in Ukraine since 2022.

The first three digits (315) of the production number are common to all Russian Kh-101 missiles CAR has documented in Ukraine, as are the next three digits (263).

The numbers “7” and “9” indicate that the missile was manufactured in the second quarter of 2024 (between April 1 and June 30, 2024), according to CAR’s previously published methodology.

In line with its tracking methodology, CAR has obscured the last five digits that would uniquely identify the missile.

Given that the attack on the children’s hospital took place on July 8, this finding confirms that the missile was manufactured weeks or possibly days before the attack.

Kh-101

The Kh-101 is a strategic cruise missile developed using radar-avoidance technology. The missile with a special nuclear warhead is designated X-102.

It has been under development since 1995 and was put into service in 2013. The missile carrier is a Tu-95MSM turboprop strategic bomber (8 missiles on external hardpoints) and a Tu-160 (12 missiles in internal compartments).

The missile uses a combined inertial guidance system with optoelectronic correction with homing head activation in the final stages of flight.

In the transport position, the R95TM-300 turbojet engine is located inside, the wings are folded under the missile, and the fins are also folded.

After launch, the engine is pulled out of the body and the wings are unfolded.

The maximum flight range is 5,500 kilometers. The product can change targets during flight.