**Ukraine’s Homegrown Sapsan Ballistic Missile Completes Combat Testing, Heads to Serial Production**
In a significant boost to Ukraine’s defense capabilities, the domestically developed short-range Sapsan ballistic missile has successfully completed combat testing and is now entering serial production. This development comes as Ukrainian forces continue to face intense Russian attacks and offensives.
According to Valentyn Badrak, head of the independent think tank Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Studies, the Sapsan missile successfully struck a Russian military target at a range of nearly 300 km in May. The missile’s payload is 480 kg.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry has dedicated a department to formulate and test the missile, highlighting the country’s efforts to increase its domestic defense production. Domestically produced long-range weapons are crucial to Ukraine’s defense strategy, particularly as Western partners have been slow to deliver adequate weaponry in response to Russia’s aggression.
**Background: Ukraine’s Push for Domestic Defense Production**
In November 2024, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine had produced its first 100 Sapsan missiles. Since then, the country has continued to increase domestic defense production, with over 40% of weapons used at the front line now being produced in Ukraine.
Zelensky also revealed that Ukraine had developed another domestic-made weapon, a missile-drone Palianytsia. As part of its efforts to boost defense production, Ukraine has resumed and scaled up serial production of Neptune cruise missiles, modifying them to have a greater range.
**Russia’s Continued Aggression**
Despite these developments, Russia continues to unleash large-scale attacks on Ukrainian cities, regularly launching hundreds of drones to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses. Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) reported that Russia’s production of ballistic missiles has increased by at least 66% over the past year.
**International Reactions and Developments**
In a separate development, Iran launched “hundreds” of ballistic missiles towards Israel late on June 13, Iranian state media reported. This follows Israeli air strikes on Iran’s nuclear program.
The European Union sanctioned Amir Ali Hajizadeh in 2022 for overseeing Tehran’s supply of Shahed-type drones to Russia. Poland’s military command stated that the recent attacks are another case of provocative testing of NATO countries’ systems.
In other news, Ukraine has brought home the bodies of 1,200 Ukrainian soldiers and citizens as part of an agreement with Russia in Istanbul. The country has also received another 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in macro-financial assistance from the European Union as part of a G7 loan.
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