Russia uses training missiles as ballistic weapons against Ukraine
Modified air defence missiles account for over half of Russia's ballistic launches in July and August.
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made
Russia Turns Training Missiles Into Deadly Weapons in Ukraine
Photograph: Kyiv Post (embedded from source)
What this story says
- Russia is increasingly using modified RM48U training missiles as ballistic weapons against Ukraine.
- These RM48U missiles made up over half of Russia's ballistic and hypersonic launches in July and early August.
- The repurposed missiles are launched from S-400 air defence systems and are less accurate than Iskanders.
- Ukraine relies on limited Patriot systems to intercept ballistic missiles, and Russia's use of RM48Us may aim to deplete these stocks.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 10 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 12 of the 22 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
60/100
Craft
65/100
Hype
45/100
22 sources · methodology
Russia has begun using modified RM48U training missiles as ballistic weapons against Ukraine. These missiles, adapted from Russia's 48N6 surface-to-air missiles and launched from S-400 air defence systems, accounted for more than half of the ballistic and hypersonic weapons Russia launched in July and early August. Originally intended as targets for air defence exercises, these modified missiles now carry warheads and travel at high speeds. Their use allows Russia to conserve more advanced missiles, such as Iskanders, for potential future campaigns.
The RM48U missiles are less powerful and accurate than Russia's Iskander ballistic missiles. However, their lower precision can increase the danger to civilians when fired near populated areas. One such missile was linked by Reuters to a strike on a railway station in Brovary near Kyiv that killed eight civilians in August. Ukrainian authorities confirmed the large-scale use of these missiles for the first time this summer.
Disagreement on missile numbers
Reports offer differing figures for the total number of ballistic and hypersonic missiles launched by Russia in July and early August. Reuters, citing Ukrainian law enforcement officials, military intelligence, and defense analysts, reported that 228 such missiles were launched, with RM48Us making up over half. However, Gazeta.ua, citing Ukrainian data, stated that RM48Us delivered 87 of 158 recorded ballistic and hypersonic strikes in July. News-pravda.com also noted that in July, out of 158 ballistic and hypersonic missiles, a portion were RM48U, but did not specify the total number launched.
What the coverage left out
None of the left, centre, or right-rated reports mention the specific figure of 480 RM48U missiles Russia aims to produce annually by 2026, a detail reported by the Kyiv Post and attributed to Ukraine's military intelligence.
Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 1 time, most recently on 18 Sept 2026, 16:30, and will add the sides that appear.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
1 rated outlet
- The Kyiv Post's full report led with Russia's conversion of training missiles into frequently used ballistic weapons. It highlighted that the RM48U accounted for over half of Russia's ballistic and hypersonic launches in July and early August, citing Reuters and Ukrainian officials. The report detailed that these weapons are modified 48N6 surface-to-air missiles launched from S-400 systems. It noted their original purpose as targets during air-defence exercises and their current use with warheads. The Kyiv Post also reported that Russia is seeking to more than double annual production of RM48U missiles. The report quoted Sidharth Kaushal, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, who said Russia could use RM48U launches to drain Ukraine’s stocks of Patriot system interceptors and conserve Iskander missiles for a possible winter escalation. The article linked an RM48U missile to a strike on a railway station in Brovary that killed eight civilians.
Centre
4 rated outlets
- Centre-rated reports led with Russia adapting training missiles for its ballistic attacks on Ukraine. Devdiscourse and Digi 24 both highlighted that RM48Us made up more than half of the ballistic and hypersonic missiles fired at Ukraine in July and early August, citing Ukrainian data seen by Reuters. These reports noted that the RM48U is less accurate than the Iskander and can cause civilian casualties, linking it to the Brovary railway station strike that killed eight people. The centre-rated outlets also emphasised that Russia's use of these missiles allows it to conserve more advanced weapons like Iskanders for winter campaigns, while potentially depleting Ukraine's limited Patriot interceptor stocks. Devdiscourse mentioned that Russia's defence ministry did not respond to questions about its missile use, and Moscow denies intentionally harming civilians. The Economic Times and WTVB, which published digests, also focused on Russia leveraging repurposed training missiles to ramp up its aerial assault strategy and exhaust Ukraine's Patriot interceptors.
Right
5 rated outlets
- Right-rated reports focused on Russia's alleged increasing use of converted RM48U missiles. News-pravda.com stated that foreign media reported Russia is allegedly using converted RM48U missiles, originally intended for S-300/S-400 firing ranges, to strike ground targets. Korrespondent.net reported that Russian Federation forces are using training missiles to deplete Ukrainian air defence stocks prior to massive attacks. Modern Diplomacy's digest mentioned Russia increasingly relying on large-scale missile and drone attacks to pressure Ukraine's air defences, noting the consequences at a suburban railway platform near Kyiv where eight people were killed. Times of India and The Straits Times digests also highlighted Russia adapting a training missile to lead its ballistic onslaught, with The Straits Times referencing the Brovary railway platform incident. BizToc's digest also carried a similar headline.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover Russia uses training missiles as ballistic weapons against Ukraine?
- Of the 10 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 10% are rated left, 40% are rated centre, 50% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 22. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is Russia uses training missiles as ballistic weapons against Ukraine left or right?
- Too few of the outlets on this story carry a published leaning rating to say. 10 of them do, and this site does not characterise a field under 12: at that size one newsroom filing moves the share by ten points. The percentages above are the count as it stands.
- Is the coverage of Russia uses training missiles as ballistic weapons against Ukraine biased?
- Russia uses training missiles as ballistic weapons against Ukraine is one event reported by 22 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which outlets covered Russia uses training missiles as ballistic weapons against Ukraine?
- 22 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What are RM48U missiles?
- RM48U missiles are modified variants of Russia's 48N6 surface-to-air missiles, originally intended as targets during air defence exercises. They have been adapted to carry warheads and are launched from S-400 air defence systems to strike ground targets in Ukraine.
- How many RM48U missiles has Russia launched?
- In July and early August, RM48U missiles accounted for over half of the 228 ballistic and hypersonic weapons Russia launched at Ukraine, according to Reuters and Ukrainian officials. Some reports provide different total launch numbers for the period.
- Why is Russia using RM48U missiles?
- Reports suggest Russia is using RM48U missiles to conserve more advanced weapons like Iskanders for potential future campaigns. Their use may also aim to deplete Ukraine's limited stocks of Patriot interceptors, which are crucial for defending against ballistic missiles.
- What is the impact of RM48U missiles on civilians?
- While less accurate than Iskander missiles, RM48U missiles can increase the danger to civilians when fired near populated areas. One RM48U missile was linked to a strike on a railway station in Brovary near Kyiv that killed eight civilians.
Read it at the source
22 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
1Centre
4- INSIGHT-Russia adapts a training missile to lead its ballistic onslaught of Ukraine (opens Devdiscourse in a new tab)
Devdiscourse — is Devdiscourse biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Russia Has Adapted an Instruction Missile to Be Used in Attacks on Ukraine. What Is RM48U (opens Digi 24 in a new tab)
- Russia adapts a training missile to lead its ballistic onslaught of Ukraine (opens The Economic Times in a new tab)
The Economic Times — is The Economic Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Russia adapts a training missile to lead its ballistic onslaught of Ukraine (opens WTVB in a new tab)
Right
5- The foreign side is reporting that Russia is allegedly increasingly using converted RM-48U missiles, which were originally intended for S-300/S-400 firing ranges, to strike ground targets in Ukraine (opens news-pravda.com in a new tab)
news-pravda.com — is news-pravda.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Russia Saves Ballistics Until Winter. (opens Korrespondent.net in a new tab)
Korrespondent.net — is Korrespondent.net biased? Our profile of this outlet
- How Russia is reshaping its missile campaign against Ukraine (opens Modern Diplomacy in a new tab)
Modern Diplomacy — is Modern Diplomacy biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Russia adapts a training missile to lead its ballistic onslaught of Ukraine (opens Times of India in a new tab)
Times of India — is Times of India biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Russia adapts a training missile to lead its ballistic onslaught of Ukraine (opens The Straits Times in a new tab)
The Straits Times — is The Straits Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
12- Russia Is Increasingly Using RM-48U Missiles. These Are Modified Training Missiles. (opens rmf24.pl in a new tab)
- Russia to Keep Stocks of Iskander Ballistic Missiles Until Winter Period, Media Report (opens 1news.com.ua in a new tab)
1news.com.ua — is 1news.com.ua biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Russia Begins Mass Use of Modified RM48U Missiles Against Ukraine Instead of (opens LB.ua in a new tab)
- Russia Is Actively Using RM48U Training Missiles to Attack Ukraine: What Is Known About Them (opens Unknown in a new tab)
Unknown
- Missiles Targeted Instead of “Iskanders”: How Russia Is Increasing Ballistic Strikes on Ukraine (opens Gazeta.ua in a new tab)
- Russia's Cunning Move: Now Firing Hugely Inaccurate RM48U Missiles - Flying 300 Meters Past the Target (opens T&T in a new tab)
- Russia Has Found a Replacement for Iskanders for Massive Strikes in Ukraine (opens Unknown in a new tab)
Unknown
- Russia Massively Launches RM48U Training Missiles in Ukraine, Cheaper and Less Accurate than “Iskanders” (opens ТСН.ua in a new tab)
Show 4 more
- Russia Has Expanded Its Arsenal. She Found a Way to Mass Shelling Ukraine (opens Rzeczpospolita in a new tab)
Rzeczpospolita — is Rzeczpospolita biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Reuters: Russia Massively Launches RM48U Training Missiles in Ukraine, Cheaper and Less Accurate than Iskanders (opens liga.net in a new tab)
- Reuters: Russia Turns Training Missile Into Spearhead of Ballistic Attack on Ukraine (opens Capital.gr in a new tab)
Capital.gr — is Capital.gr biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Russia adapts a training missile to lead its ballistic onslaught of Ukraine (opens BizToc in a new tab)
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