Russian MiG-31s armed with Kinzhals now strike unpredictably: Moscow's new tactics
Moscow has begun deploying Il-78 aerial tankers to refuel MiG-31 fighters carrying Kinzhal missiles, enabling longer missions farther from the front lines and evading Ukraine's early warning networks.
MiG-31 / © Associated Press
Russia appears to have overhauled its aerial assault strategy against Ukraine by incorporating mid-air refueling for MiG-31 interceptors, allowing launches from deeper within its territory and complicating interception efforts for Kinzhal hypersonic missiles.
The Kyiv Post reported on these developments.
Military analyst OSINT Warfare shared a photo on X showing a MiG-31K/L interceptor with a Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missile alongside an Il-78 Midas tanker, believed to have been taken over Russian airspace.
Moscow has repeatedly deployed Kinzhals to target Ukrainian cities and vital infrastructure. Analysts note that in-flight refueling lets these jets fire from Russian heartland positions, bypassing Ukraine's detection systems and slashing response windows for the Air Force and air defenses.
The Financial Times, citing Western officials, previously reported that intercepting Kinzhals has grown far more difficult. Altered flight paths and shorter warning times have slashed success rates, with Patriot systems now achieving just 6% of their prior performance.
MiG-31: The "ideal Kinzhal carrier"
Since the full-scale invasion began, Russia has upgraded most of its roughly 150 MiG-31s into MiG-31K and MiG-31L variants.
The MiG-31K is tailored for the Kh-47M2 air-launched ballistic missile, an airborne adaptation of the Iskander-M ground system. Enhancements include expanded fuel capacity, refined control and targeting systems, and in-flight programming of missile coordinates.
The newer MiG-31L, unveiled at the Army-21 expo, features an automated positioning system for precise launches and potential low-Earth orbit satellite strike capability, per Russian claims.
Russia bolsters its tanker fleet
After the Soviet collapse most tankers remained in Ukraine, creating a deficit in Russia. Moscow is now converting Il‑76 transports into tankers, fitting them with three fuel pods.
These planes once primarily supported strategic bombers like the Tu-22M3, Tu-95MS, and Tu-160. Experts now assess that MiG-31K/L operations against Ukraine take priority.