russia has once again pushed propaganda about its Iskander ballistic missile, now claiming that an extended-range version, allegedly capable of reaching 1,000 km, is ready for serial production. This information was circulated by a source known for promoting russia’s so-called “unparalleled” weapons, a tactic identified by Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation.
The idea of a longer-range Iskander missile first surfaced in February 2024, when russian sources speculated that installing a new solid-fuel engine could extend its range or allow for a heavier warhead. By July, images emerged of a modified Iskander missile with a larger engine, purportedly the Iskander-1000 variant. A video released to mark the anniversary of the Kapustin Yar test range showed what appeared to be the missile’s first launch, but provided no technical details or production timeline.
Read more: USA Wants to Turn an Anti-Radar Missile Into Anti-Iskander Weapon

While russia is indeed working on missile modernization projects, their success remains questionable. The country has struggled to maintain production of its standard 9M723 Iskander missiles, which have a stated range of up to 500 km. This shortage has forced russia to rely on North Korea’s KN-23 missiles, receiving around 150 per year. Given these challenges, claims about the Iskander-1000 missile’s imminent serial production should be viewed with skepticism.
Read more: russia's Racing to Expand Solid-Fuel Engine Production Capacity, Offering More S-400, Iskander and ICBM Missiles