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Ukraine Races to Develop Its Own Ballistic Missiles to Counter Russian Threat
Confirmed
In Short: Ukraine is accelerating efforts to develop its own ballistic missiles to counter Russia's sustained missile attacks, according to reports.
The Ukrainian military currently possesses around 500 OTR-21 Tochka short-range ballistic missiles, but Russia has a much larger arsenal, with 900 modern Iskander-M ballistic missiles and other advanced systems. This disparity has led Ukraine to seek ways to close the gap, with the FP-7 and FP-9 ballistic missiles set to enter service within weeks.
While Ukraine has made strides in drone technology, the development of ballistic missiles remains a critical challenge. The FP-7 is due to enter service soon, with the FP-9 currently undergoing flight tests, according to Fire Point's CEO, Iryna Terekh. Broadly speaking, ballistic missiles fly in high arcs at hypersonic speeds, making them difficult to intercept, unlike the slower cruise missiles.
What's confirmed
- The Ukrainian military currently possesses around 500 OTR-21 Tochka short-range ballistic missiles, but Russia has a much larger arsenal, with 900 modern Iskander-M ballistic missiles and other advanced systems. This disparity has led Ukraine to seek ways to close the gap, with the FP-7 and FP-9 ballistic missiles set to enter service within weeks.
- While Ukraine has made strides in drone technology, the development of ballistic missiles remains a critical challenge. The FP-7 is due to enter service soon, with the FP-9 currently undergoing flight tests, according to Fire Point's CEO, Iryna Terekh. Broadly speaking, ballistic missiles fly in high arcs at hypersonic speeds, making them difficult to intercept, unlike the slower cruise missiles.
What's still developing
- Future wars will be won not only by those who have the best technological systems, Ukraine's former top general says in London.
- Valerii Zaluzhnyi says an expensive Cold War missile has become a cheap weapon fired in bulk.
- Ukraine's jet-drone interceptors show early promise, but harder job ahead.
- Scaling them up to match Ukraine's success against slower drones is the real test.
- Russia currently produces the munitions at a rate of "about 120 ballistic missiles every month", Ukrainian President Zelensky told a NATO-Ukraine Council meeting in Kyiv on June 3, a tempo of production that allows for sustained and deadly missile barrages against Ukrainian cities.
- When Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Ukraine possessed around 500 OTR-21 Tochka short-range ballistic missiles for around 90 launchers, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), with no ability to produce more.
- In comparison, Russia fielded 900 modern and longer-ranged Iskander-M ballistic missiles in February 2022, according to the IISS, along with significant numbers of Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles, 3M22 Zircon quasiballistic missiles, and a large number of S-300 and S-400 surface-to-air missiles with a secondary land attack role.
- The most significant replenishment came in August 2026, when Ukraine signed an agreement to purchase 70 M39 ATACMS missiles from Turkey as part of a wider arms deal.