Russia plans to conduct final tests of a new, unidentified ballistic missile with a range of up to 800 kilometers by the end of 2026. This was announced on September 8 by Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, the GUR, during a meeting with representatives of NATO member states.
According to Skibitskyi, Russia may use these tests to strike targets in western regions of Ukraine. Moscow aims to increase both its missile production capacity and the strike range of its weaponry. The ultimate goal, the GUR representative noted, is to intensify missile and drone attacks to push Ukraine into a socio‑economic crisis. He also called on partner countries to strengthen sanctions to limit Russia’s access to foreign components, particularly for the production of long‑range weapons.
Security situation and defense capabilities
In recent weeks, Russia has been attacking Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities nearly continuously with ballistic missiles and large numbers of drones, resulting in civilian casualties. Ukraine has critically limited stocks of ballistic missile interceptors and is fully dependent on international partners for the supply of such systems, while its own ballistic missile development programs remain in the early stages.
Amid the intensification of Russian attacks, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a change to the air‑raid alert system. Under the new plan, alerts will be divided into two levels: a yellow signal will indicate a drone threat, while a red signal will signify the approach of missiles or a large‑scale combined attack.
Kyiv and the surrounding region have remained primary targets of the Russian air campaign in recent days and are regularly attacked by jet‑powered drones. Ukraine’s air defence is operating at its limit, leaving a significant part of the country vulnerable not only to missiles and drones but also to guided aerial bombs. The death toll is rising: July was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since the start of the full‑scale war.
Cyberattack on Russian missile institute
Separately, on September 9, the GUR stated that its cyber specialists had gained access to the networks of the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology, a state research and design institute involved in developing Russian missiles and military satellite communication systems.
According to the GUR, intelligence also identified 2,648 employees of the institute, including its head, retired Lieutenant General Sergey Ponomarev. The institution works on the Yars and Topol‑M intercontinental ballistic missiles, the Bulava submarine‑launched ballistic missile, as well as the Iskander‑M and Oreshnik systems.
In addition to missile systems, the institute develops technologies for the rapid deployment of military satellites into low Earth orbit, at an altitude of approximately 160 to 2,000 kilometers above the Earth’s surface.
Russia is also accelerating the deployment of the Rassvet satellite communication system, intended as a domestic alternative to Starlink. According to Skibitskyi, Russia launched the first 16 Rassvet satellites into low Earth orbit in March 2026, and carried out a second launch in July.
Source: Kyiv Independent
