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 presented weapons that have already changed the rules of war at the European Defence Innovation Days 2025 (EDID25) exhibition in late May 2025, according to ArmyInform. 

Among the highlights were autonomous FPV drones, a new class of naval drones, and robotic ground systems transforming logistics on the front lines. 

The EDID25 forum was hosted by the European Defence Agency (EDA) in Kraków, Poland. The event brought together developers, military personnel, scientists, and industry leaders from across Europe.

Twelve Ukrainian companies showcased their innovations. According to Anatolii Khrapchynskyi, deputy director of an electronic warfare company and military expert, Ukraine did not come with concepts, but with real, battle-tested technology.

“These are not mock-ups. These are technologies that save lives and are changing the rules of modern warfare,” Khrapchynskyi emphasized.

Among the systems demonstrated:

• FPV drones with autonomous targeting, capable of striking without an operator, due to computer vision.
• Naval drones that have learned to intercept airborne targets — effectively a new class of weapons
• Mavic- and Matrice-type drones, fully assembled with Ukrainian-made electronics
• Ground robotic systems that revolutionize frontline logistics, remotely mine terrain, and establish new firing positions 

“Our technologies are not just innovation. They are combat experience transformed into solutions. We know how to turn challenges into breakthroughs,” said Khrapchynskyi.

A key takeaway for European partners is that Ukraine is becoming not just a production hub but a source of experience, flexibility, and strategic thinking.

That is why Khrapchynskyi stressed the need to establish an Engineering Command Center in Ukraine, a permanent hub for military innovation staffed by Ukrainian and European experts.

This center should:

• Translate battlefield experience into technical specifications;
• Anticipate the needs of future wars;
• Coordinate cross-sector development of systems and platforms.

“Europe is searching for solutions. And Ukraine has the answers — practical, combat-proven, and scalable,” the expert concluded.

Earlier, the Security Service of Ukraine reported that a total of 34% of Russia’s strategic missile carriers based at their main airfields were hit in the operation SpiderWeb, which targeted at least four airfields. 

Ukraine used smart FPV-drones launched from cargo trucks to target the aircraft. 

Ukrainian startup launches fully autonomous drone strikes deep into Russian territory, rewriting the rules of modern warfare, Forbes reports.

In a historic military breakthrough, Ukrainian defense startup Strategy Force Solutions has successfully deployed autonomous drone motherships in real combat operations against Russian forces — a world first that could reshape global defense strategies.

Their breakthrough system, GOGOL-M, swaps out traditional $3–$5 million missile strikes for AI-driven missions costing just $10,000.

Ukraine surges ahead in drone warfare innovation

While global powers like the US and China continue testing autonomous weapons, Ukraine has leapfrogged ahead, deploying AI-powered drone swarms on the battlefield today, not years from now.

The GOGOL-M mothership, boasting a 20-foot (6-meter) wingspan, can autonomously fly up to 300 km behind enemy lines. It then releases two smaller attack drones that identify and destroy targets without human control.

How it works: AI-powered precision at scale

At the core of the system is SmartPilot, an onboard AI that mirrors the instincts of a human fighter pilot. It uses multi-sensor fusion — combining cameras, LIDAR, and communications — to navigate and strike in environments where GPS and radio signals are jammed.

“In some ways, it’s like a self-driving car,” says CTO Andrii.

He explains that while there aren’t many obstacles in the air, the system still needs to remain lightweight. To achieve that balance, the team engineered a streamlined setup using cameras, LIDAR, and communication tools to enable real-time navigation and coordination.

LIDAR, which acts like laser radar, generates a detailed 3D map of the surroundings and functions in all lighting and weather — essential for reliable autonomous missions in hostile conditions.

This gives the drones the ability to:

• Destroy parked jets and air defenses
• Hit oil depots and infrastructure
• Strike deep into Russia with precision

One military operator described the experience:

“It feels like a video game. I set the waypoints and watch it work.”

Silent and deadly: Drones that wait to strike

In one of its most striking features, the drone can land near enemy targets, remain hidden, and wait for hours before launching a surprise strike — a capability described as “autonomous ambush mode.”

This gives Ukrainian forces a powerful edge in asymmetric warfare, allowing for stealth operations previously thought impossible with drone tech.

Ukraine beats US and China to real-world AI combat

While the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit and China’s drone makers remain in testing phases, Ukraine is already in full-scale production. Strategy Force Solutions now builds 50 GOGOL-Ms and 400 attack drones per month, constrained only by military demand.

The company’s software-first approach also allows easy adaptation to new platforms — from flying drones to unmanned boats and ground vehicles.

Russia faces a new kind of threat

Military analysts suggest that Russia must now defend against autonomous swarms that don’t need GPS, live control, or constant communication — a nightmare for traditional air defense systems.

As Forbes tech correspondent David Hambling notes:

“The crucial first step — long-range autonomous drone delivery — has now been taken. It may be Version 1.0, but it’s already a problem for Russia.”

A childhood idea that sparked a military revolution

The origin of this breakthrough? A childhood memory. As a boy, the system’s creator Andrii saw a woman walking railway tracks to check for defects. He thought, “This should be done by a robot.”

That early insight grew into AI systems for infrastructure inspection — and later, with the onset of war in 2022, a pivot to battlefield autonomy.