Speaking at the opening of the second International Defense Industries Forum in Kyiv on 1 October, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the successful completion of an indigenous ballistic missile flights tests.
Zelenskyy reported on his Facebook page:
“Our new ballistic missile has successfully passed flight tests.”
Defense Minister Rustem Umierov revealed further details about Ukraine’s missile development plans on 2 October 2024. Speaking at the same forum, Umerov said,
“We are focusing on missile and drone programs recently. Next year or by the end of this year, you will hear a lot about a large missile program. We have already started working on ballistic missiles,” he said, according to Ukrinform.
Umierov disclosed that the Ministry of Defense invested up to $4 billion in local defense production last year and is working on establishing long-term agreements with manufacturers.
“We have already achieved 2-5 year agreements and hope to conclude 10-year agreements. We are looking for ways to simplify the system and trying to streamline procedures,” he explained.
The minister also mentioned a recent meeting with the Budget Committee of the Verkhovna Rada, where he requested support for next year’s budget, indicating plans to increase investment in the defense sector. Umerov emphasized the importance of long-term investments and agreements to support production even after the war, with an eye towards future exports.
These developments follow previous announcements about Ukraine’s growing defense capabilities.
- On 24 August, President Zelenskyy had stated that Ukrainian military forces had for the first time used a domestically produced missile-drone to strike Russian occupiers.
- On 29 August, Mykhailo Podoliak, an advisor to the Head of the Presidential Office, revealed that the Ukrainian ballistic missile would have a range of approximately 600-700 kilometers.
- In addition to missile development, Zelenskyy previously noted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are using a new class of Ukrainian weapons – the long-range missile-drone Palianytsia.
- The President also highlighted that in the first half of this year, Ukraine produced 25 times more ammunition for artillery and mortars compared to the entire year of 2022. He mentioned the ongoing successful use of Neptune missiles and the monthly production of up to 20 Bohdana artillery systems.
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