The Russians used the latest Kh-69 cruise missile to strike the Trypilska power station.

This was reported by Defense Express, which cited its own sources.

This isn’t the first time this missile has been used to target Ukrainian infrastructure. Debris from previous rocket strikes has been analyzed by specialists at the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise (KSRIFE).

The marking on the missile’s body indicated it was manufactured at the end of 2023.

Kh-69

The Kh-69 missile, originally unveiled as the Kh-59MK2 during its first public presentation in 2009, is currently under development and production at the Raduga Design Bureau facilities.

Kh-59MK2 was very similar to the previous Kh-59MK anti-ship missile. The main difference was the guidance system: the active radar homing was replaced by an inertial navigation system combined with GPS/GLONASS and a Digital Scene Matching Area Correlator (DSMAC) for approach to the target.

It can be assumed that the guidance system was adapted or derived from another Raduga product, such as the Kh-555 cruise missile.

In 2015, the Kh-59MK2 was completely redesigned using stealth elements. In fact, only the guidance system remained unchanged.

The body now has a box trapezoidal section adapted for placement in the inner compartment of the Su-57, although there is a possibility of suspension on the outer pylons.

The manufacturer states the missile can be used with Su-30MK, Su-34, Su-35S, MiG-35S and MiG-29K.

Unlike the Kh-59MK2, which housed its engine in the outer nacelle, the Kh-69 features an internal turbofan engine. Additionally, it includes retractable wings in its upper section for flight stabilization.

The Russians declare that the missile carries a warhead weighing 310 kilograms with a total mass of 710 kilograms. The maximum range of defeat is 290 kilometers, and the flight speed is about 700-1000 kilometers per hour.

For a long time, the missile was Kh-69 in development, but the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war exacerbated the need for high-precision long-range weapons, and, obviously, the development and production process accelerated.

In February 2023, the International Institute for Strategic Studies stated the Kh-69 was “probably in the final stages of development or in the production stage.”

The missile is part of the armament of the Russian Su-57 fighter, indicating the launches may have occurred from this aircraft. However, it’s also possible that the missile was deployed from another type of aircraft.