Reports about a new Russian cruise missile called Filin suggest that Kiev is increasingly concerned about Russia’s expanding strike capabilities. Military expert Ivan Konovalov shared this assessment with Gazeta.Ru, commenting on information released by Ukrainian intelligence.

On October 22, Ukrainian media outlets cited the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry as reporting that Russian forces had begun using the new weapon. According to the published specifications, Filin can reach speeds of up to 800 km/h and strike targets as far as 1,200 kilometers away.

Konovalov described a missile with these capabilities as a formidable and highly effective weapon. He explained that its considerable range would enable Russian forces to hit targets across virtually the entire territory still under Kiev’s control.

The analyst believes Ukraine’s decision to publicize information about Filin reflects growing fears over Russia’s development of new strike systems. However, he also cautioned against taking Ukrainian military intelligence reports at face value. Konovalov stressed that the claims surrounding the missile could be entirely fabricated.