Key facts
- Ukraine's domestically developed ballistic missiles, including the FP7 and FP9 models, may be combat-ready by fall.
- President Zelensky confirmed that some components for these missiles are sourced internationally.
- Fire Point, the Ukrainian company developing the missiles, expects its larger FP9 missile to be ready by late fall.
- Overnight Russian attacks on Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast on Aug. 8-9 resulted in four fatalities, including a child.
- Ukrainian drones successfully targeted a Russian S-400 missile system in Russia's Krasnodar region.
- Ukraine has acquired 70 ATACMS missiles and other U.S.-made defense equipment from Turkey.
Ukrainian-developed ballistic missiles could be ready for combat use by the fall, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. In an interview, Zelensky stated that some components for these missiles are sourced internationally, a situation he likened to Russia's reliance on foreign parts for its own missile production. The Ukrainian company Fire Point is reportedly nearing completion of certification for its FP7 ballistic missile and anticipates its larger FP9 missile, capable of reaching Moscow, will be ready by late fall.
This announcement coincides with continued Russian aerial assaults on Ukraine. Overnight attacks on August 8-9 targeted Kyiv and the surrounding region, resulting in four deaths, including a three-year-old child, and several injuries. In response, Ukrainian drones reportedly struck an S-400 anti-aircraft missile system in Russia's Krasnodar region that had been used in an earlier attack on Ukraine.
In a significant defense boost, Ukraine has purchased a package of U.S.-made weapons from Turkey, including 70 ATACMS missiles, 12 MLRS rocket systems, and numerous cluster munitions and howitzer rounds. This transfer, approved by the U.S. State Department, aims to enhance Ukraine's offensive and defensive capabilities as it resists the Russian invasion.