Vladimir Zelensky has announced the first use of a domestically developed Ukrainian ballistic missile. According to him, the tests were successful, with serial production expected to be the next step.

The weapon in question is the FP-7 Pelican, a tactical surface-to-surface ballistic missile developed by the Ukrainian company Fire Point. Its designers envision it as a relatively inexpensive weapon for striking targets at operational depth.

Depending on the modification and payload, the FP-7 has a claimed range of 200 to 300 kilometers, meaning it cannot reach Moscow. Its warhead is estimated to weigh between 150 and 250 kilograms, while the developers claim a maximum speed of around 1.5 kilometers per second.

Ukraine has compared the FP-7 with the US-made ATACMS, although the Pelican is significantly inferior to the American weapon in terms of its stated specifications. The FP-7 is a supersonic missile, but Russian S-400, S-500 and Buk-M3 air defense systems can be used against it.

Many details about the missile remain classified. There is currently insufficient independent data to assess its actual accuracy and range, the reliability of its guidance system or its ability to penetrate missile defenses.

According to the developers, the FP-7 incorporates Soviet-era technologies, including solutions associated with the 48N6 family of surface-to-air missiles used by S-300 systems. However, this technological lineage does not mean the new missile duplicates the original design or possesses the same characteristics.

The FP-7 could primarily be used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to strike Russia’s border regions, including the Belgorod, Kursk and Bryansk regions. Based on its stated range, the Oryol, Voronezh, Lipetsk and Kaluga regions could theoretically also be within reach.