Russia launches missile over Ukraine capable of carrying nukes

Russian forces have recently deployed the 9M729 cruise missile against Ukraine — a weapon that Washington previously deemed a violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. This missile type was one of the key reasons the Trump administration decided to withdraw from the landmark arms control agreement.

This was confirmed by Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha in comments to Reuters, marking the first official acknowledgment of the missile’s combat use.

Russia increasingly launches missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads

Since August, Russia has launched at least 23 missiles of the 9M729 type at Ukrainian targets, with two additional launches recorded in 2022. One missile fired on October 5 reportedly traveled over 1,200 kilometers before striking in Ukraine.

According to Reuters sources, the launches began on August 21 — shortly after a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska. One confirmed strike occurred on October 5 in the village of Lapaivka, more than 600 kilometers from the Russian border, killing four people. Experts examining the debris identified markings labeled "9M729" along with construction features unique to this missile model.

This particular weapon was the reason the United States withdrew from the INF Treaty, which prohibited ground-launched missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. Washington argued that the 9M729 exceeded those limits, thus violating the treaty — a claim Moscow has consistently denied.

Analysts from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington report that the 9M729 can be equipped with either a conventional or nuclear warhead and has a maximum range of up to 2,500 kilometers. According to Sybiha, Russia’s use of banned missiles demonstrates Putin’s disregard for the United States and for Donald Trump’s diplomatic efforts to end the war.

The minister emphasized that Kyiv supports Trump’s peace initiatives but urged greater pressure on Moscow. He added that providing Ukraine with long-range weapons such as Tomahawk missiles would help deter further Russian aggression. These missiles were not covered by the INF restrictions since they are launched exclusively from naval platforms.

William Alberque, an expert from the Pacific Forum, said that Putin is trying to "gain leverage in negotiations over Ukraine," noting that these missiles were originally designed for strikes on European targets.

Jeffrey Lewis, a global security specialist who analyzed the missile fragments with other researchers, confirmed that the engine, body, and markings precisely match the technical specifications of the 9M729 — fully verifying its identification.

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