Ukraine could begin hitting Moscow with its own domestically produced ballistic missiles as soon as this autumn, according to the head of one of the country’s fastest-growing defense firms.
Denys Shtilerman, the co-owner and chief designer of Ukrainian defense manufacturer Fire Point, announced this week that the company’s newest ballistic missile is now in the final stages of testing and could enter operational service once the final engine trials have been completed.
Putin Back in 2014 Image Credit Russian Federation
Putin in June 2016 Image Credit Russian Federation Photo
The announcement is a major development for Ukraine, which has already successfully developed long-range drones and missiles, including the famed FP-5 “Flamingo,” that are now putting immense pressure on Russian oil infrastructure.
Ukraine is accelerating its domestic weapons production to reduce its dependence on foreign suppliers while Russia continues to launch large-scale ballistic missile and drone attacks across the country.
Fire Point Says Final Testing Is Underway
Speaking in an interview published on July 27, Shtilerman said that Fire Point’s newest ballistic missile is expected to undergo its final engine test in the near future, after which the missile could quickly enter operational use if no major problems are identified.
According to Shtilerman, the company is already preparing production lines while testing continues rather than waiting for formal military approval before manufacturing begins.
The company is expecting to build an initial batch of up to 20 missiles for developmental testing before increasing production if the weapon successfully completes the Ukrainian codification and procurement process – which, given Kyiv’s urgent need for interceptors and long-range missiles, it likely will.
Fire Point is one of a number of Ukrainian weapons manufacturers that started and rapidly expanded following the outbreak of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The company already produces the FP-1 long-range strike drone and the FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile, both of which have been used against military and industrial targets inside Russia.
The firm first publicly revealed development of its FP-7 and larger FP-9 ballistic missile programs in September 2025, and later released footage of an FP-7 test launch earlier this year.
The FP-7 is reported to have a range of approximately 250 to 300 kilometers, while the larger FP-9 is expected to reach targets as far as 850 kilometers.
If those figures hold true, it would place Moscow within range of ballistic missile strikes if launched from northern Ukraine.
Ukraine Slowly Worked Toward This Moment
Fire Point’s most recent announcement is the news Kyiv has spent years waiting for, and marks a significant change compared to the early months of Russia’s invasion, when Ukraine had almost no ability to strike military targets deep inside Russian territory.
In the first half of the war, Ukraine largely depended on Western governments for long-range weapons, and would even require permission to use those weapons in specific ways.
Throughout 2022 and much of 2023, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy repeatedly appealed to Washington for longer-range missiles, arguing that Ukraine needed to destroy Russian command posts and ammunition depots, along with other sites inside its territory, to put pressure on Moscow to bring the war to an end.
The Biden administration repeatedly declined those requests, saying it was concerned that providing weapons capable of reaching deep into Russia could escalate the conflict into a direct confrontation between Moscow and NATO. In May 2022, President Joe Biden announced that the United States was “not going to send to Ukraine rocket systems that strike into Russia.” The administration spent more than a year resisting Kyiv’s requests for ATACMS missiles before eventually approving a limited transfer.
Ukraine responded to the uncertainty by heavily investing in its own missile industry.
Other Ballistic Missile Programs
Alongside Fire Point’s FP-7 and FP-9 projects, Kyiv has continued developing the Sapsan, or Hrim-2, ballistic missile.
Serial production of that alternative system began in 2025, and Zelenskyy later said that it had already been used in combat.
Last month, Zelenskyy also announced that Ukraine was nearing completion of another domestically developed ballistic missile program.
He said that Ukraine was “very close” to fielding a domestically produced ballistic missile capable of striking targets deep inside Russia following meetings with European leaders in London.
The Ukrainian president did not identify the weapon or provide any technical details.
Fire Point Builds Offensive and Defensive Systems
Fire Point’s announcement also comes only days after reports that the company will play a major role in developing Freyja, a European-backed ballistic missile defense system intended to provide a cheaper alternative to American Patriot batteries.
Ukraine hopes to have a working prototype of the new system ready during the first half of 2027, with Fire Point continuing to develop offensive missiles capable of striking targets deep inside Russia.
As the war progresses, Ukraine is becoming more resilient, building domestic systems that not only allow its forces to defend the country from Russian attacks but will also define Europe-wide defense in the coming decades.
About the Author: Jack Buckby
Jack Buckby is a British researcher and analyst specializing in defense and national security, based in New York. His work focuses on military capability, procurement, and strategic competition, producing and editing analysis for policy and defense audiences. He brings extensive editorial experience, with a career output spanning over 1,000 articles at 19FortyFive and National Security Journal, and has previously authored books and papers on extremism and deradicalization.
