Ukraine could strike Moscow with ballistic missiles this fall, says manufacturer’s chief designer

Denis Shtilerman, the owner and chief designer of Ukrainian military contractor Fire Point, has stated that Ukraine could launch its first ballistic missile strikes on Moscow as soon as this fall. In an interview with journalist Dmitry Gordon, Shtilerman said the new missile is in the final stages of testing. Once trials and test flights are complete, strikes on Russian territory will begin.

According to Shtilerman, the military will select the targets, which he expects to be significant from the start. When asked by Gordon about a timeline for strikes on Moscow, Shtilerman replied: “This fall.” He added that a more precise schedule depends on engine testing results. “We’ll fuel the engine, put it on the test stand, run a burn test and see how it performs. If there are any issues, we’ll fix them. But we’re moving very quickly. I think it will happen this fall,” he said.

Fire Point is one of the largest contractors for the Ukrainian military, producing the long-range strike drone FP-1 and the FP-5 “Flamingo” cruise missile. Ukrainian authorities have already reported isolated strikes on Russian territory using the Flamingo. The company officially announced development of the FP-7 and FP-9 ballistic missiles in September 2025 and conducted the first test launch of the FP-7 in February 2026.