Oct 1 (Reuters) – Ukraine has deployed its FP-7 tactical ballistic missile in combat for the first time, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday.
“Ukrainian tactical ballistic missile FP-7. First combat use,” Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram. “Thank you for the result. Next – production.”
He did not say where the FP-7 had been used in combat or against what target.
Russia frequently uses ballistic missiles in strikes on Ukrainian targets, and Ukraine has viewed development of its own tactical ballistic missiles as an important element in ensuring its defence needs.
Zelenskiy praised the test results of tactical ballistic missiles earlier this year, saying they showed good potential for their use by the military.
Ukrainian military analysts describe the FP-7 as a short-range missile with a range of about 200 km (125 miles).
The missile’s manufacturer, Fire Point, says it is being developed as a ballistic interceptor within the European missile defence programme Freyja launched this year.
Ukraine wants a prototype for the Freyja European anti-ballistic system to be ready in the first half of next year, Davyd Aloian, deputy secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council said in July.
(Reporting by Ron Popeski, EDiting by Timothy Heritage)