Ukraine must 'accelerate creation of ballistic systems,' Zelensky says
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine needs to "accelerate the creation of Ukrainian ballistic systems as much as possible," according to his evening address published on May 2.
Zelensky made the statement following his meeting with the Commander-in-Chief, where he was briefed on military supplies, staffing, and Ukraine’s missile program, including domestic development and production.
"Our long-range capabilities are a clear and effective guarantee of Ukraine’s security," Zelensky said.
Long-range missiles have been a critical component of Ukraine's defense against Russia's full-scale invasion. However, since the start of the invasion, Western partners have been reluctant and slow to provide Ukraine with long-range missiles out of a fear of escalation.
Kyiv first started receiving U.S. long-range missiles, specifically the Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), in the fall of 2023 – more than a year after Russia launched its invasion. At the time, Ukraine was only permitted to deploy these missiles against targets in occupied Ukrainian territory.
Former U.S. President Joe Biden eased restrictions on Ukraine's use of ATACMS in November 2024, allowing Kyiv to launch them against military targets in Russia.
Ukraine has also received the British Storm Shadow and the French SCALP missiles. However, earlier this year, Ukraine reportedly ran out of its supply of ATACMS.
While Ukraine's drone production industry has been successful – providing more than 95% of drones used on the front line – the missile development program has been slower, with some notable exceptions. Last year, Ukraine successfully tested its first domestically-made ballistic missile and produced 100 missiles.
The combination of Western reluctance and restrictions, as well as limited supply of long-range missiles, has underscored Ukraine's need to develop its own domestic missile program.
Kateryna Hodunova
