Russia claims to have successfully disrupted and halted Ukraine’s domestic production of the Sapsan long-range missile, following a series of coordinated strikes in late July.
On Thursday, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) issued a statement detailing the operation. According to the agency, Russian intelligence became aware of Ukraine’s missile program in July 2024, when production of the Sapsan reportedly began. Intelligence gathering allegedly allowed Moscow to identify the facilities involved in manufacturing, supplying materials, and assembling the weapon. These sites—both above ground and underground—were subsequently targeted in strikes across the Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, and Sumy regions.
The FSB claims Ukraine planned to produce up to 200 Sapsan missiles per month, with alleged technical and logistical support from Germany. The missile was said to have a maximum range of approximately 700 kilometers (435 miles), placing Moscow and much of western Russia within striking distance of the missile.
While the Russian assertions have not been independently verified, the FSB’s timeline aligns with comments made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in July 2024, when he announced that Ukraine had begun producing long-range missiles. Throughout last summer, Zelensky and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz issued multiple statements indicating that Ukraine would soon be able to carry out long-range strikes inside Russia.
On July 17, Merz stated that Ukraine would receive long-range strike systems “very shortly” and that further support would arrive “in the weeks and months to come.” These remarks appear consistent with Russian claims that Ukraine was preparing for such strikes before Moscow’s preemptive action.
The reported strikes also came shortly before a notable shift in U.S. policy. After initially warning Russia of potential secondary sanctions, U.S. President Donald Trump dispatched envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow. Those talks ultimately paved the way for the upcoming summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, scheduled for Friday in Alaska.