Ukraine's growing domestic missile industry has emerged as a priority target for russia, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who warned that Moscow is increasingly focused on disrupting Ukrainian efforts to develop advanced missile capabilities.
Speaking on the evening of June 2, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had received an intelligence briefing from Lieutenant General Oleh Ivashchenko, head of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence. The report outlined russian assessments of Ukraine's defense-industrial progress and potential future targeting priorities.
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According to the president, russian planners have identified Ukrainian companies involved in missile development as key objectives for future strikes. These firms are reportedly making progress across several categories of missile technologies, an area that Kyiv considers crucial for strengthening its long-term defense capabilities.
The statement comes as Ukraine continues to expand domestic weapons production in response to the demands of a prolonged war and uncertainty surrounding the pace of foreign military assistance. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly emphasized the importance of building a self-sufficient defense industry capable of producing advanced systems at scale.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted two areas that russia reportedly views as particularly threatening: Ukraine's efforts to develop an indigenous ballistic missile capability and initiatives aimed at localizing the production of anti-ballistic missile defense technologies. Both projects would significantly enhance Ukraine's strategic military autonomy if successfully implemented.
"Russia sees this as a strategic threat to itself," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, referring to Ukraine's ability to produce its own ballistic missile systems and establish domestic manufacturing for anti-ballistic defense solutions. He added that Ukraine would respond to the emerging threat posed by russian attempts to target the country's defense-industrial sector.
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