Lauge Risom Koch 
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the domestically developed FP-9 ballistic missile will be operational this fall.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the domestically developed FP-9 ballistic missile will become operational this fall. According to the Kyiv Post, the weapon system is designed to reach targets at distances including Moscow. The president recently contacted Ukrainian defense manufacturer Fire Point to urge the expedited finalization of the FP-9.
This request follows the combat debut of the shorter-range FP-7 tactical ballistic missile earlier in the week. During a recent interview, the president detailed his communications with the arms manufacturer regarding production timelines. Expressing certainty regarding the deployment schedule, Zelensky stated, “And the FP-9 will be ready this autumn, I am confident.”
The Ukrainian leader also pledged to intensify retaliatory strikes against Russian oil refineries. This escalation aims to counter an expanded aerial campaign by Moscow intended to force residents to evacuate urban centers before winter. Zelensky cited intelligence documents indicating that Russian President Vladimir Putin approved an operational directive expanding strikes against civilian targets.
Expanding civilian targets and retaliatory strikes
The intercepted Russian documents permit military attacks on critical infrastructure, logistics networks, roads, schools, and hospitals. Zelensky attributed this shift in tactics to increasing frontline pressures and personnel losses in the Donbas region. The primary goal of this operation is to force civilians to leave the capital and other major cities.
The Ukrainian president emphasized that his forces will respond to attacks on the domestic energy grid. The military will target Russian energy infrastructure, particularly oil refineries that generate revenue for the invasion. However, Zelensky clarified that Ukrainian forces will not conduct retaliatory attacks on civilian facilities.
Following these strategic promises, Ukrainian forces carried out long-range strikes early Saturday morning. The overnight operations engaged Russian Iskander missile launcher positions and personnel in the Bryansk region. Additional strikes hit predetermined enemy targets in the Samara region over the past 24 hours.
Missile development and the FREYJA initiative
The Ukrainian president announced on social media that domestic long-range capabilities worked effectively against the Russian war machine. These military operations also produced new results in the Black Sea without disclosing specific details. These confirmed strikes follow an ongoing campaign targeting rear logistics, air surveillance networks, and missile batteries deployed in border regions.
The deployment timeline for the FP-9 follows Ukraine’s first combat use of the FP-7 tactical ballistic missile. Manufactured by Fire Point, the FP-7 carries a 150-kilogram warhead across an operational reach of 200 to 250 kilometers. The company announced the development of both the FP-7 and the longer-range FP-9 in September 2025.
Prior to its combat deployment, the FP-7 completed 15 test launches and received Defense Ministry certifications. The defense contractor serves as the industrial hub for the European FREYJA initiative alongside nine partner nations. Through this program, the company is developing a high-speed interceptor with unit costs below one million euros to reduce reliance on Patriot batteries.
