Russia has used the 9M729 cruise missile in recent months, the development of which led to the US withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019, reports “Reuters“, citing Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga, News.bg reports.
This is the first official confirmation that Moscow has used this type of weapon in actual combat against Ukraine.
According to a second high-ranking Ukrainian source, since August Russia has fired 23 9M729 missiles at Ukrainian targets, and Kiev has registered two more launches of the same type of missile in 2022
The Russian Defense Ministry did not comment on these allegations to “Reuters“.
International dispute and missile characteristics
The 9M729 missile, known in NATO as the SSC-8, has been at the center of an international dispute between Washington and Moscow since 2010. The United States accused Russia of developing a missile that violated the INF Treaty, which bans missiles with a range between 500 and 5,500 km.
In 2019, President Donald Trump's administration withdrew from the treaty, citing the 9M729 as evidence of the violation. Moscow has denied the allegations and claims that the missile has a range of less than 500 km.
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, the 9M729 can reach up to 2,500 km and carry a nuclear or conventional warhead.
A military source told “Reuters“ specifies that a missile launched by Russia on October 5 traveled more than 1,200 km before falling on Ukrainian territory.
Implications for international security
Ukrainian analysts point out that the use of the 9M729 shows that Moscow is resorting to strategic weapons developed for nuclear deterrence in the context of the war against Ukraine.
Experts warn that this development could call into question international arms control agreements and revive the arms race that was suspended after the end of the Cold War.
Kiev insists that evidence of the use of these missiles be presented to Western partners and international institutions in order to strengthen sanctions against Russia.