“ Russia began attacking Ukraine with the 9M729 cruise missile, the secret development of which prompted US President Donald Trump to abandon the nuclear arms control agreement with Moscow. Source: Reuters Details: Journalists spoke with anonymous sources and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiga. It is noted that Sybiga’s comments are the first confirmation that Russia used the 9M729 surface-to-air missile in Ukraine. Russia has fired a missile at Ukraine 23 times since August, a second high-ranking Ukrainian official said. Ukraine has also recorded two launches of the 9M729 by Russia in 2022, the source said. Russia’s Defense Ministry did not respond to a written request for comment. 9M729 reportedly forced the US to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019. Washington has said that the missile violates the treaty and can fly far beyond the 500 km limit, although Russia has denied this. The missile, which can carry a nuclear or conventional warhead, has a range of 2,500 km, according to the Missile Threat website at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “Russia’s use of the banned INF 9M729 against Ukraine in recent months demonstrates (Ruler Volodymyr) Putin’s disrespect for the United States and President Trump’s diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Sybiga said. The White House did not respond to specific questions about Russia’s use of the 9M729. A few days ago, Trump ordered the US military to resume testing nuclear weapons, citing “testing programs of other countries.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine did not report the details and dates of the 9M729 missile attacks. However, a senior official said they began on August 21 – less than a week after the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. A military source said the 9M729, launched during Russia’s October 5 attack, flew more than 1,200 km. It is reported that the journalists viewed images of the wreckage after the Russian attack, during which a residential building was hit and 5 people were killed in the Ukrainian village of Lapaivka (Lviv region) on October 5. Images seen by the media showed two pieces of the missile, including a tube containing cables, identified as 9M729. For reference: Intermediate and short-range missiles (IMFs) are land-based ballistic and cruise missiles, capable of covering a distance of 500 to 5,500 kilometers and, as a rule, carrying a nuclear warhead. In 1987, a treaty was signed in Washington between the United States and the Soviet Union on the elimination of the INF Treaty, which was in effect until 2019. At the time, the US administration said that Russia had violated the treaty by deploying the 9M729 missile system and announced the termination of the treaty. In August 2019, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia officially announced that the agreement had ceased to operate. At the same time, Putin stated that if American medium-range missiles were deployed in Europe, Russia would be forced to deploy them as well, but emphasized that Russia was not going to be the first to deploy such missiles in Europe. The USA and NATO state that Russia de facto does not comply with the moratorium it declared, referring to the deployment of the same 9M729 missiles. The West insists that their range is greater than 500 kilometers, which Moscow denies. We will remind: the USA and Russia withdrew from the Cold War-era Intermediate-Range Missile Treaty (IMF) in August 2019, after each accused the other of violating the agreement. In August 2025, the Russian Federation announced that it abandoned the “self-limitations” on the deployment of medium- and short-range missiles, which were announced after the collapse of the corresponding missile treaty with the United States.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Source: Reuters
Details: Journalists communicated with anonymous sources and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiga.
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It is noted that Sybiga’s comments are the first confirmation that Russia used the 9M729 surface-to-air missile in Ukraine.
Russia has fired a missile at Ukraine 23 times since August, a second high-ranking Ukrainian official said.
Ukraine has also recorded two launches of the 9M729 by Russia in 2022, the source said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry did not respond to a written request for comment.
It is reported that 9M729 forced the US to withdraw from the treaty on the elimination of medium and short-range missiles (IDR) in 2019.
Washington has said that the missile violates the treaty and can fly far beyond the 500 km limit, although Russia has denied this.
The missile, which can carry a nuclear or conventional warhead, has a range of 2,500 km, according to the Missile Threat website at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
“Russia’s use of the banned INF 9M729 against Ukraine in recent months demonstrates (Ruler Volodymyr) Putin’s disrespect for the United States and President Trump’s diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Sybiga said.
The White House did not respond to specific questions about Russia’s use of the 9M729. A few days ago, Trump ordered the US military to resume testing nuclear weapons, citing “testing programs of other countries.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine did not report the details and dates of the 9M729 missile attacks.
However, a senior official said they began on August 21 – less than a week after the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska.
A military source said the 9M729, launched during Russia’s October 5 attack, flew more than 1,200 km.
It is reported that the journalists viewed images of the wreckage after the Russian attack, during which a residential building was hit and 5 people were killed in the Ukrainian village of Lapaivka (Lviv region) on October 5.
Images seen by the media showed two pieces of the missile, including a tube containing cables, identified as 9M729.
For reference: Intermediate and short-range missiles (IMFs) are land-based ballistic and cruise missiles capable of a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers and, as a rule, carrying a nuclear warhead.
In 1987, a treaty was signed in Washington between the United States and the Soviet Union on the elimination of the INF Treaty, which was in effect until 2019. At the time, the US administration said that Russia had violated the treaty by deploying the 9M729 missile system and announced the termination of the treaty. In August 2019, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia officially announced that the agreement had ceased to operate.
At the same time, Putin stated that if American medium-range missiles were deployed in Europe, Russia would be forced to deploy them as well, but emphasized that Russia was not going to be the first to deploy such missiles in Europe. The USA and NATO state that Russia de facto does not comply with the moratorium it declared, referring to the deployment of the same 9M729 missiles. The West insists that their range is greater than 500 kilometers, which Moscow denies.
We will remind:
- USA and Russia came out from the treaty on medium- and short-range missiles (ICBM) of the times “Cold War” in August 2019 – after each accused the other of violating the agreement.
- In August 2025 in the Russian Federation declared that they abandoned the “self-restraints” on the deployment of medium- and short-range missiles, which they announced after the collapse of the corresponding missile treaty with the United States.