Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate is concerned that Russia continues to modify the Banderol missile even after launching serial production, according to Militarny, which cited a representative of the Ukrainian agency.

Ukrainian military intelligence said Russia had completed testing of the new lightweight S8000 cruise missile and started mass-producing it. However, the developers have continued refining the weapon rather than retaining its original design.

Specialists reportedly found substantial differences between missiles produced in 2025 and samples manufactured in 2026, indicating that upgrades continued after the weapon entered operational use.

According to data available to Kiev, the Banderol carries a warhead weighing about 150 kilograms, reaches speeds of up to 600 kilometres per hour and can strike targets at ranges of up to 400 kilometres.

The missile was initially launched only from unmanned aircraft. Ukrainian intelligence now says it can also be deployed from ground-based launchers and helicopters, giving Russian forces more options for its use.

The agency’s representative acknowledged that Russian troops were increasingly using Banderol missiles against Ukrainian military facilities. This presents a serious problem for Kiev because FPV drones designed to intercept aerial targets are reportedly ineffective against the weapon.

Maxim Kondratyev, a member of the Russian Academy of Engineering, previously said the Banderol had an extremely low radar signature. He also noted that the missile could fly only several dozen metres above the ground, making it considerably harder for enemy air defenses to detect and intercept.