Overview
- Ukraine reports 23 launches since August 2025, shortly after Russia ended its self-imposed moratorium on INF-range deployments on Aug. 4.
- Images from the Oct. 5 strike in Lapaiivka show fragments marked 9M729, and independent analysts assessed the debris as consistent with the system.
- A military source said one missile traveled over 1,200 kilometers to a target in western Ukraine, indicating substantial reach.
- The Kremlin referred inquiries to the Defence Ministry and restated earlier denials that the missile breached INF restrictions.
- Analysts say the ground-launched cruise missile expands Russia’s attack options and strains Ukrainian air defenses, as Kyiv renews calls for long-range U.S. munitions such as Tomahawk.