Russia says it is ready to use the new missiles for strikes

Russia has said that it has developed and is ready to use X-BD cruise missiles with a range of more than 6,500 kilometres for air attacks on Ukraine. They can be carried by Tu-160 bombers.

This was announced by Lieutenant General Sergei Kobylash, commander of the long-range aviation of the Russian Air Force, during the visit of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to the Knevichi airfield in Russia's Primorsky Krai, the Russian Defence Ministry said.

Showing the North Korean leader the development, he pointed out that two cassettes of six missiles each could be installed on the Tu-160.

They began developing the X-BD missiles back in 2017, but so far there have been no reports of them being taken into service.

According to local media, the missile's designation stands for "long range". It is based on the Kh-101 cruise missile. The X-BD was developed at the Raduga ICB, part of the Tactical Missile Armament Corporation. The exact technical characteristics of the missile are unknown.

According to some information, the X-BD could be equipped with a separate warhead, which can hit two targets at a distance of 100 kilometres from each other.

The Tu-160 bomber is designed to hit the most important targets in remote military geographical areas and deep rear of continental theatres of war with nuclear and conventional weapons, the Defence Ministry said on its website. According to the defence ministry's reference, its main weapon used to be Kh-55 cruise missiles with a range of 3,000 km.