Ukraine could be capable of striking Russia with domestically made ballistic missiles within three to six months, former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has estimated.
Kyiv has so far relied mainly on long-range drones and cruise missiles for deep strikes against Russia. Ballistic missiles would be harder for Russian forces to thwart, Fedorov said in an interview with CBS News.
What is known about the missile programme
Fedorov said Ukraine needs to “defeat Russia in every technological cycle” while warning that Moscow is advancing rapidly as well. Ukrainian defence manufacturer Fire Point is developing ballistic missiles and conducted a launch test in June.
The estimate is not a confirmed deployment timetable. It describes when Ukraine might become capable of carrying out strikes with domestically made ballistic missiles.
Related coverage: 17 killed as Russian missiles and drones strike Kyiv region.
Large drone attacks increase pressure
Ukraine launched one of its largest drone attacks since the start of the war on Sunday, according to the supplied report. Russian authorities said the assault caused a fire at a Wildberries distribution warehouse near Moscow and killed at least six people.
Russia’s defence ministry said it had shot down 1,478 Ukrainian drones in the previous 24 hours, its highest-ever claimed total. Moscow regional governor Andrey Vorobyov called the assault one of the most massive drone attacks in recent memory. Ukraine’s military also said it struck a missile-fuel production facility in Russia’s Rostov region.
The fighting is affecting civilians and neighbouring states
A Russian barrage of drones and missiles killed two people and wounded 14 at the ArcelorMittal steel plant in Kryvyi Rih, according to the supplied material. The plant partially halted operations. Further attacks killed one person in Kryvyi Rih and two people in the Zaporizhzhia region.
More context: Six killed as strikes hit Ukraine and Russia reports 605 drones intercepted.
A Russian drone that entered Romanian airspace from Moldova was shot down by a Spanish F-18 deployed on Nato duties, Nato and Romanian officials said. Debris fell in an unpopulated part of the Galati region near the Ukrainian border.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she wants sanctions listings to increase the number of sanctioned Russian entities by one-third. The EU has adopted 21 rounds of sanctions against Russia since 2022, while a July package was approved only after prolonged negotiations.
Also read: Ukraine seeks Patriot missiles as Russian attacks intensify.
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