Ukraine has significant problems with financing the national missile development program, which forces the country to remain dependent on Western aid for the provision of missile launchers. This was reported by The Wall Street Journal , citing sources familiar with the situation.
The publication notes that Ukraine is currently actively developing its own ballistic missiles that would be able to strike deep into Russian territory.
"Next year or by the end of the year, you will hear that we will have a huge missile program," the WSJ quoted Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov as saying.
But sources told the WSJ that Ukraine's missile program is experiencing a lack of capacity and funding, which will limit the program's effectiveness, and "Kyiv will likely remain dependent on the West for some weapons for years to come."
Federico Borsari, an expert in the field of security and unmanned systems, commented to the WSJ that today there are only a few countries in the world, including the United States and Russia, which have all the technologies and capabilities for the production of ballistic missiles.
The rest of the countries trying to implement their missile programs face great difficulties in finding the necessary components.
The Deputy Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine, Hanna Gvozdiar, told the publication that the country is currently working on the development of several ballistic missiles.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi's strategic adviser Oleksandr Kamyshyn added that the country does not have enough money to quickly increase production in the necessary volumes, writes the WSJ.
In such conditions, Ukraine can bet on the production of "hybrids" of missiles and drones.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently told reporters that Ukraine's long-range drone program makes more financial sense than ballistic missiles, given their costs.
The recent $2.4 billion U.S. aid package included funding for long-range UAVs and did not include funds for the production of ballistic missiles, the newspaper reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.
Ukraine produces weapons that are a cross between a missile and a drone.
One of these hybrid types is "Palyanytsia", which was first used in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine at the end of August. According to Borsari, the weapon looks like a small cruise missile, but has a less complex guidance system and a smaller warhead. This probably makes it cheaper and easier to manufacture than cruise and ballistic missiles.
Another Ukrainian long-range hybrid, called "Sichne", uses rocket engines to accelerate the flight during takeoff.
