Oleksiy Petrov, CEO of the state-owned Spetstechnoexport company, said that Ukraine is actively working on developing its own cruise and ballistic missiles, which could enter service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine next year.
In an interview with OBOZ.UA, Petrov noted that he had witnessed flight tests of Ukrainian ammunition and stressed that the decision to lift the monopoly on the missile industry in Ukraine was justified.
‘I would say that the state and, finally, the private sector are moving in this direction. And it was a reasonable decision to lift the monopoly on the missile industry. That’s why I think we will have our own missiles, such as cruise and ballistic missiles, by mid-2025,’ he stressed.
According to Petrov, the development of missile production, particularly with the participation of private enterprises, is a significant achievement. In addition, Ukraine is already producing 155mm shells that meet NATO standards and provide an important distance to effectively defeat the enemy.
‘In addition, Ukrainian state-owned companies are trying to restore or expand the production of ammunition of the Soviet standard, which, unfortunately, we cannot get rid of yet. A 152-mm round that flies 30 kilometres is essential, as is a 122-mm round. They are in constant short supply because they were used in large numbers by the defence forces,’ Petrov added.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces have been actively using the Ukrainian R-360 Neptune missile in combat operations. In August, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the first successful use of the latest Palianytsia drone missile, which took 18 months to develop. Zelenskyy also announced the successful test of a Ukrainian ballistic missile, probably the Sapsan or Grom-2 operational and tactical complex.
According to The Telegraph, the Ukrainian army is preparing to deploy a powerful Hrom-2 ballistic missile, and Ukraine’s representative to NATO, Yehor Chernev, confirmed that the weapon is almost fully operational.
