NYT: Russian Ballistic Missile Strikes Raise Alarm in Kiev
NYT says Ukraine is alarmed by rising Russian ballistic missile strikes, with many bypassing air defenses as Kiev seeks its own long-range weapons.
According to analysts at The New York Times, concern in Ukraine has grown sharply as Russia increases its use of ballistic missiles.
The authors reported that in 2026 Russia is launching an average of about 74 ballistic missiles per month. The figure has risen steadily over the past several years: in 2023, Russia was using roughly six such missiles a month, while in 2024 and 2025 the numbers climbed to 28 and 49 respectively. The situation is further complicated by the fact that about two-thirds of Russian ballistic missiles are able to get through Ukraine’s air defense system.
Ukrainian officials, aware of this weakness, have said in recent weeks that the country is making every effort to develop ballistic missiles on its own. Kiev sees such weapons as necessary to increase pressure on Moscow.
Experts, however, note that building ballistic missiles is far more complex than producing drones. Ukraine is currently focused on mass production of inexpensive unmanned systems, which helps it maintain combat capability. At the same time, the newspaper’s observers said Kiev still lags behind technologically, meaning the creation of its own long-range weapons will take time.
The New York Times also suggested that Ukraine’s attempts to develop its own ballistic missiles could push Russia to take the next step.