According to Zelensky, the ballistic missile has undergone successful testing, although the nature of the test remains undisclosed. Ukraine has been working on the Grom-2/Sapsan missiles since at least 2014, with initial specifications outlined as early as 2007. The development has been led by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, with partial funding reportedly coming from Saudi Arabia, which has shown interest in Ukrainian weaponry.
The Grom-2 missile is often compared to Russia’s Iskander missile. It is expected to have a maximum range of between 300 and 500 kilometres, with some reports suggesting the possibility of reaching distances up to 700 kilometres. The missile is equipped with a conventional warhead weighing 480 kilograms.
Ukraine’s investment in long-range weaponry aims to bolster its defensive capabilities against Russian attacks. This includes the development of both ballistic and cruise missiles. The latter category references the Neptune anti-ship missile, which has been adapted for use as a land-attack cruise missile, as well as the Korshun-2 cruise missile, developed since at least 2014 and based on the Soviet Kh-55 missile.
Developing indigenous weaponry allows Ukraine to bypass restrictions imposed by Western partners regarding the use of supplied long-range weapons against targets on Russian territory, which currently limits Ukraine’s operational flexibility. Last year, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence announced plans to initiate the production of domestic weaponry with a range of 1,000 kilometres or more. At present, only select Ukrainian strike drones are capable of reaching such distances.
