Key facts
- Russia plans to test a new ballistic missile type with a range of up to 800 kilometers before the end of 2026.
- Ukraine's military intelligence believes Russia intends to strike targets in western Ukraine during these tests.
- Moscow is increasing its missile production output and range to provoke a socioeconomic crisis.
- Ukraine's military intelligence cyber specialists breached the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology's networks.
- The institute develops intercontinental ballistic missiles such as Yars and Topol-M, as well as the Iskander-M.
Russia is planning to test a new type of ballistic missile with a range of up to 800 kilometers before the end of 2026, according to Ukraine's military intelligence. Maj. Gen. Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR), stated that these tests might be intended to strike targets in western Ukraine, as part of a broader effort by Moscow to increase its missile production and range.
Skibitskyi indicated that Russia's ultimate goal is to provoke a socioeconomic crisis through intensified missile and drone attacks on Ukraine. He urged partner countries to tighten sanctions to prevent Russia from accessing foreign components for its long-range weapons. Recent weeks have seen daily attacks on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, with ballistic missiles and drones causing civilian casualties.
In response to the escalating attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a revised air alert system for Ukraine, categorizing threats into red (missiles and combined attacks) and yellow (drone threats) levels. This comes as Ukraine faces a significant shortage of air defense systems, leaving its cities vulnerable.
Separately, HUR reported that its cyber specialists successfully breached the networks of the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology, a key Russian state-run research and design institute involved in developing missiles and military satellite communications. HUR identified 2,648 employees, including its chief executive, Sergei Ponomaryov. The institute's work includes the Yars, Topol-M, Bulava, Iskander-M, and Oreshnik missile systems, as well as the development of a system for rapidly launching military satellites. Russia is also accelerating the deployment of its Rassvet satellite communications system, a domestic alternative to Starlink.
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