Zelenskyy says Ukraine used new FP-7 ballistic missile in combat for first time

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Telegram on Thursday that Ukraine's homegrown FP-7 tactical ballistic missile had been used in combat for the first time, though he did not disclose where or how it was deployed. He added that expanding production would be the next priority.

The missile's manufacturer, Fire Point, says the FP-7 is being developed as a ballistic interceptor under the European missile defence programme Freyja, launched this year. Ukrainian military analysts describe it as a short-range weapon with a range of roughly 200km, comparing it to the US army's Tactical Missile System but at a much lower cost. With Ukraine's missile production lagging well behind Russia's, developing domestic tactical ballistic missiles has been viewed as a key response to Russia's frequent use of such weapons in its own strikes.

Strikes on Kyiv

On Thursday, Russian drones hit a school and an important bridge over the Dnipro River in Kyiv, sparking fires in the capital. The school was struck early in the morning, but all students were sheltering and no injuries were reported. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said two drones struck the Southern Bridge around noon, and a further strike that evening damaged a support, part of the road surface, and protective structures around the metro crossing. On Wednesday, Russian forces began what Ukrainian officials described as a cold-weather strike campaign against the country's power grid.

Strikes on Russian oil facilities

Ukraine continues targeting Russian oil refineries, despite criticism from US President Donald Trump, who blames the strikes for worsening a global diesel shortage and pushing up fuel prices. Zelenskyy said Ukraine struck an oil facility in Russia's Samara region, hit a Russian vessel in the Black Sea, and targeted a drone launch and storage site in the Oryol region. Volgograd region Governor Andrei Bocharov reported a Ukrainian drone attack on industrial facilities in a city that hosts a major oil refinery. Ukraine estimates its campaign has knocked out more than 45% of Russia's refining capacity in recent months, triggering fuel shortages and rationing in some regions.

Other developments

Moscow warned Nato it would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons to defend Kaliningrad if the alliance attempted to blockade the exclave. Russian President Vladimir Putin said seized Western company assets could potentially be returned under a "favourable scenario," and reiterated that Russia would prefer to end the war through negotiations, with Ukraine becoming a neutral state.