FP-7 ballistic missile targeted facility in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territory during its first combat launch – WSJ
Ukraine’s FP-7 ballistic missile, whose first combat launch President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on October 1, targeted a facility in temporarily occupied territory.
The Wall Street Journal reports this, citing its own sources, Censor.NET reports.
What is known?
The report notes that the FP-7 ballistic missile brings Ukraine into a small group of countries capable of producing such weapons, although it remains unclear how successful the first strike was.
WSJ also writes that the limited capacity of Ukraine’s defense industry could make it difficult to produce these missiles in large quantities, meaning their first use could potentially carry more symbolic than military significance.
"A homegrown ballistic missile, developed in record time under fire, has been used on the battlefield," said Iryna Terekh, CEO of Fire Point, the company that produced the missile.
The ballistic missile gives Ukraine a munition with greater destructive power than the long-range drones it primarily uses against Russia.
An arsenal of ballistic missiles gives Ukraine the ability to destroy Russian bunkers, bridges and buildings that its large drone fleet would be unlikely to damage significantly, the publication adds.
A separate Ukrainian program to develop "FP-7" ballistic missiles failed to gain momentum, despite tests having been conducted as early as 2024. According to Ukrainian officials at the time, the program lacked production capacity and funding.
Background
- The previous day, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy showed the first combat use of Ukraine’s FP-7 tactical ballistic missile.
- The missile has a stated range of up to 200 kilometers, a maximum speed of 1,500 m/s, and a circular error probable of 14 meters. Its payload is 150 kilograms, while its maximum flight duration is 250 seconds.
- Alongside the FP-7, Fire Point was also developing the FP-9 missile, with a range of up to 855 kilometers and an 800-kilogram payload, to strike targets deep behind enemy lines.
