Ukraine warns Russia may test 800-km ballistic missile that could challenge its air defenses

Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence agency says Russia is preparing a final test of a new ballistic missile capable of striking targets up to 800 kilometres away. Deputy head Vadym Skibitskyi told a Ukraine-NATO interparliamentary meeting that the test could occur before the end of the year and might be followed by live-fire demonstrations in western Ukraine.

"If, for instance, this 800-kilometre missile has more advanced maneuverability, well then that's going to create greater problems for Ukraine in that they're going to need the more sophisticated interceptors to get them," said Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Karako added that the missile could employ terminal-phase maneuvers that make its trajectory harder to predict, and that Russia may be seeking to produce the weapon more cheaply or in larger numbers. He noted that such capabilities would fall into a range previously prohibited by the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which the United States exited in 2019.

The analyst said testing new missile types during wartime is standard practice, but warned that field trials in Ukraine could blur the line between development and operational use. He also highlighted a broader shift toward precision-guided munitions and maneuverable re-entry vehicles, suggesting future systems may combine ballistic flight with terminal guidance.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly stressed the strain on the country’s air-defence network, calling for additional interceptor missiles to cope with the heightened threat.