Former minister: Ukraine could soon use domestically made ballistic missiles against targets in Russia

Ukraine's former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in an interview with US broadcaster CBS News that Ukraine could be capable of using domestically manufactured ballistic missiles to strike targets on Russian territory within the next three to six months.

Significance of domestic production

Fedorov's remarks suggest Ukraine is continuing to build up its own defence industry in order to reduce dependence on weapons systems supplied by foreign partners. The ability to independently produce long-range ballistic missiles would be seen as a significant step in Ukraine's military capabilities amid its ongoing war with Russia.

Context

The interview comes as the war between Ukraine and Russia continues into its multiple year, with the question of whether and how Ukraine can strike targets inside Russian territory remaining one of the most sensitive issues in international discussions about support for Kyiv. Fedorov's comments indicate that domestic missile production could offer an alternative path to acquiring such capabilities, potentially bypassing restrictions sometimes attached to the use of foreign-supplied weapons.