Ukraine is preparing to launch serial production of its domestically developed ballistic missile known as Sapsan or Hrim-2, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed during a meeting with journalists, after unofficial media reports.

Zelenskyy confirms production plans, timeline unclear

During the press briefing on 13 June, Zelenskyy addressed the recent emergence of information regarding the Sapsan missile. The President noted that work is ongoing toward mass production but emphasized that other details have been classified:

“Now we’re working on developing the capability for mass production of the ballistic missile. When, how, in what quantity—I can’t say,” he stated, as reported by Fakty ICTV on 14 June.

Earlier, speaking to United24, Defense Express analyst Ivan Kyrychevskyi claimed that despite frequent references to the missile system by its former project names as Sapsan or Hrim-2, it does not currently have an official name. He stated that earlier labels were primarily used for export marketing to Saudi Arabia prior to Russia’s all-out war, and now the missile remains officially nameless.

First media report: Tests completed, production begins

Earlier on 13 June, Liga published an article by Valentyn Badrak, director of the Center for Army, Conversion, and Disarmament Studies. According to Badrak, the missile underwent successful combat testing in May 2025 and is now being transitioned into serial production.

Badrak emphasized the missile’s combat readiness and described it as “a large, powerful weapon,” noting that its warhead weighs 480 kilograms. He cited military sources who reported no remaining barriers to mass production, stating that coordination between the Defense Ministry and Ministry of Strategic Industries has been achieved.

Ukraine new ballistic system “Sapsan” is faster than US-made ATACMS

“Faster than ATACMS”

Badrak also referred to a key earlier test in July 2024, where the Sapsan demonstrated a speed of 5.2 Mach. He stated that this performance makes it faster than the US ATACMS and close in capability to the Russian Iskander missiles.

Top defense priority for Ukraine

The same day, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Anatoliy Klochko highlighted the strategic importance of the domestic missile program, stating,

“The issue of Ukrainian ballistics today is not first, second, or third—it’s out of line. It’s a top priority.”

He also said a great deal of work has already been completed in this area, with increased focus now being directed toward national ballistic capabilities.

“We don’t know if an exchange of nuclear strikes will begin.” Nuclear conflict risk between Iran and Israel threatens not only the Middle East but also Ukraine, says former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko, Radio NV reports. 

The West might shift its focus to a new crisis, while Russia could financially benefit from rising oil prices.

“If, after all these events, Iran reduces its support to Russia, that would be in our interests,” the diplomat notes.

At the same time, he warned that Israel’s actions might have a dangerous effect: “Who has power is right, and Iran will certainly respond to that.”

Ohryzko emphasizes that Tehran has already declared a strong response, using not only drones but also cruise and ballistic missiles.

“We don’t know what else is stored in Iran’s other sites, whether there are already ready nuclear warheads,” he adds. 

According to the expert, Israel’s possession of nuclear weapons is almost an objective reality. Therefore, the risk of nuclear escalation becomes not hypothetical but an extremely realistic scenario.

“So, we don’t know if at some point an exchange of nuclear strikes will begin, and that would be not just dangerous, but horrific,” Ohryzko stresses.

Besides the military threat, there is another consequence — rising energy prices.

“There are reports that oil prices jumped by 12%. That means Russia will profit from this,” the former minister notes. 

In such a situation, Ukraine risks losing part of the West’s attention while simultaneously facing the economic strengthening of its main enemy.

Ukraine’s new ballistic missile may already be used on the battlefield. In May 2025, the Ukrainian Armed Forces sharply increased the number of destroyed Russian command posts, indicating new strike capabilities, including ballistic ones, says military expert Valery Ryabykh, Espreso reported.

The expert says that remarkably interesting developments are happening on the battlefield. Ukraine has expanded its ability to strike Russian occupiers.

“This includes the successful operation to destroy a division of three Iskander missile systems. All points to the fact that Ukraine has acquired all the necessary elements for such strikes,” Ryabykh continues.

In addition, all elements have been linked together using the Link system for F-16 aircraft.

He suggests that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have likely been using ballistic missiles for about a year, as experts could not clearly identify the strike means in many cases.

“This system, apparently, is already undergoing real combat testing. We are talking either about the start of serial production or it just begins now,” the expert explains.

In 2024, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine had successfully tested its first domestically produced ballistic missile. However, no more details on timing, production, and the number of missiles have been disclosed. 

Ukraine is still waiting for the United States to respond to its request to purchase air defense systems, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 7 June. This followed a major Russian air assault on Kharkiv city the same day, as Russia reportedly targeted the city with 67 explosive drones, nine aerial bombs, and a missile.

Zelenskyy calls for urgent US support

In his evening address on 7 June, Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine urgently needs “positive signals” from the US — not just words, but concrete decisions.

“We are working to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense. We urgently need positive signals from the United States – concrete signals regarding air defense systems,” he said. “We are still waiting for a response to our request to purchase systems that can help — concrete signals, not words.”

He also thanked European nations for their support and emphasized the importance of joint production efforts.

“We must also achieve results in the joint production of air defense systems and missiles for them – this is absolutely essential for our whole Europe,” Zelenskyy noted, adding that “only time separates us from that result, and what matters most is shortening that time.”

Reuters: US expects another multi-pronged Russian strike after Ukraine’s Spiderweb drone attack

The statement came after a Ukrainian delegation visited Washington on 6 June. According to the head of the Office of the President, Andrii Yermak, Ukraine expressed its readiness to buy weapons from the US. However, Yermak stated that members of Congress believe Washington can continue supplying arms directly to Ukraine instead.

On 6 June, Russia attacked Kyiv, Lutsk, and Ternopil with hundreds of drones and 45 missiles, leading to heavy casualties among civilians. That day, US President Donald Trump appeared to defend Russia’s massive airstrike on Ukrainian cities the night before, claiming that Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb had given Vladimir Putin “a reason to go in and bomb the hell out of them last night.” Earlier, after a phone call with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, he said Russia’s reaction would “not be pretty.” 

Overnight on 6 June, Russia launched a massive aerial assault on Ukraine, using 407 drones, 38 cruise missiles, and six ballistic missiles, according to preliminary data from the Ukrainian Air Force. Later, the Air Force published the updated data.

In a televised appearance, Yuri Ihnat, head of communications for the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stated that the attack included various types of aerial threats, according to Liga.

“A very large number of air attack weapons are flying. Each week we are essentially breaking records for the number of assets used. Today there were ballistic and cruise missiles, and a large number of strike UAVs and drone imitators,” Ihnat said.

Ihnat emphasized the figures are early estimates and have not been formally released by the Air Force yet due to the need for thorough verification.

Russian missiles, drones target Kyiv, Ternopil, Lutsk in one of Moscow’s largest air assaults, civilians killed and injured (updates)

Air Force preliminary assessments report the destruction of up to 30 missiles through air defense measures. Additionally, up to 200 strike drones were intercepted. A further 167 drones are currently classified as “radar lost” or disappeared from radars during the operation.

Attack route and defense deployment

According to Ihnat, Russia primarily launched its drones and missiles from the northern oblasts of Ukraine, with the projectiles advancing westward in what was described as a “crawling offensive.“

To counter the threats, Ukraine deployed anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare systems, and aviation assets. Fighter aircraft including F-16 and Mirage-2000 jets participated in the overnight operation. Ihnat noted that these units “performed quite effectively” during the night strike.

Final strike data pending

The Air Force Command is expected to release final verified statistics in its upcoming official summary, confirming the extent of the aerial attack and Ukraine’s defense performance.

Updated data

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that overnight on 6 June (starting 20:00 on 5 June), Russia launched 452 aerial attack assets at Ukraine,

• including 407 Shahed-type strike drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions,
• six Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles,
• 36 Kh-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95MS and Tu-160MS bombers,
• two Iskander-K cruise missiles, and
• one Kh-31P anti-radar missile.

By 10:00, Ukrainian air defenses had destroyed 406 targets:

• 199 drones were shot down, 169 suppressed or lost via electronic warfare, four ballistic missiles intercepted (two failed mid-air),
• 30 Kh-101 cruise missiles downed, and
• both Iskander-K missiles destroyed.

Airstrikes caused direct hits in 13 locations, with debris from intercepted weapons falling in 19 others.