Zelenskyy announces first combat use of Ukraine's FP-7 ballistic missile
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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday the first combat use of Ukraine's FP-7 tactical ballistic missile. He shared a video of the launch on Facebook and Telegram, thanking the team for the result and stating the next step is production. He did not disclose where the missile was used or against what target.
Key Facts
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the first combat use of the FP-7 tactical ballistic missile in a Facebook and Telegram post on Thursday.
- The FP-7 is produced by Ukrainian company Fire Point and is described by Ukrainian military analysts as a short-range missile with a range of about 200 km.
- UNN reports the FP-7 has a range of up to 300 km and is a cheaper response to the American ATACMS.
- Fire Point says the FP-7 is being developed as a ballistic interceptor within the European missile defence programme Freyja launched this year.
- Ukraine wants a prototype for the Freyja European anti-ballistic system to be ready in the first half of next year, Davyd Aloian, deputy secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, said in July.
The Announcement
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the first combat use of Ukraine's FP-7 tactical ballistic missile in a post on Facebook and Telegram. He wrote: "Ukrainian tactical ballistic missile. FP-7. First combat use. Thank you for the result. Next: production." Zelenskyy did not say where the FP-7 had been used in combat or against what target. The published video shows the launch of the missile.
Missile Specifications
Ukrainian military analysts describe the FP-7 as a short-range missile with a range of about 200 km (125 miles). UNN reports the FP-7 has a range of up to 300 km and is a cheaper response to the American ATACMS. The missile's manufacturer, Fire Point, says it is being developed as a ballistic interceptor within the European missile defence programme Freyja launched this year. Fire Point chief Iryna Terekh says Flamingo missiles can strike protected targets deep inside Russia, and the company is expanding production as she warns interceptor needs could reach thousands.
Programme Context
Zelenskyy praised the test results of tactical ballistic missiles earlier this year, saying they showed good potential for their use by the military. Ukraine wants a prototype for the Freyja European anti-ballistic system to be ready in the first half of next year, Davyd Aloian, deputy secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, said in July. Zelenskyy previously reported strikes on a target in the Black Sea, sites used to launch and store attack drones in Russia's Oryol region, an oil facility in Samara region, and a supply depot for Russian forces in Bryansk region.