Ukraine Successfully Tests First Homegrown Ballistic Missile

Ukraine successfully tested its first domestically produced ballistic missile, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on August 27. Speaking at the Ukraine 2024 Independence forum in Kyiv, Zelensky expressed cautious optimism, noting that it might be too soon to elaborate further but wanted to share the achievement with the public.

While Zelensky praised the Ukrainian Defense Industry for the project, he refrained from providing additional details about the new weapon.

The announcement came a day after Defense Minister Rustem Umerov hinted at Ukraine's plans to counter Russian aerial assaults with domestically manufactured weaponry. Umerov emphasized the need for long-range capabilities and the removal of restrictions on targeting enemy military facilities, stressing that Ukraine is readying its own response with homegrown weapons.

Earlier, Zelensky had disclosed that Ukraine had developed a missile-drone named Palianytsia, which had already been deployed against Russian targets.

Although Kyiv has received long-range missiles from international partners, such as the US-made ATACMS, British Storm Shadow, and French SCALP/T, their use is limited by Western-imposed restrictions on strikes deep within Russian territory.

Meanwhile, Russia continues to employ ballistic missiles like the Iskander-M and Kinzhal in its attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.