Ukraine’s Taras Chmut says aging Soviet R-60 missiles have cost several aircraft, while shortages leave pilots with no alternative

Taras Chmut, head of the Ukrainian military-support foundation Come Back Alive, says Ukraine has lost several aircraft after old air-to-air missiles malfunctioned, as a shortage of ammunition leaves pilots using Soviet-era weapons against Russian aerial targets.

Chmut told Deutsche Welle that Ukraine faces a major shortage of ammunition and missiles, including U.S.-made AIM-9 Sidewinders and comparable weapons. Pilots are also using Soviet R-73s and older R-60s, developed in the 1960s, to intercept drones and cruise missiles.

“It's an old Soviet missile from the 60s that can explode at the moment of launch,” Chmut said of the R-60, adding that such incidents had occurred. He said there was “currently no alternative.”

On August 10, 2026, a Ukrainian MiG-29 crashed in the Odesa region during a mission against enemy aerial targets after an emergency occurred during an air-to-air missile launch and the aircraft caught fire. The pilot ejected and survived. Investigators said they were examining several possible causes; the specific cause had not been conclusively established.