Russia debuts upgraded Iskander-1000 missile in one of summer strikes on Kyiv – intelligence

On August 27, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence (HUR) reported that Russia utilized an upgraded ballistic missile, the 9M723-2, also known as the Iskander-1000, during one of the summer missile strikes on Kyiv. This missile is part of the Bora-M system, featuring a larger engine and launcher that allows it to target distances up to 550 kilometers, compared to 390 kilometers for the previous version.

The remaining components of the missile are identical to the 9M723-1, also known as the Iskander-M. Intelligence officials noted that Russian forces have been increasingly relying on ballistic missiles as their primary aerial attack method in recent months. The fact that these strikes occur primarily at night, and the short flight time to Kyiv, suggests a purely terrorist nature, according to intelligence officials.

They stated that this demonstrates the enemy's intent to intimidate Ukrainians into accepting peace at any cost. Ukrainian intelligence released a list of 140 Russian and foreign-made components in the 9M723 Iskander-M missile, along with information about 35 companies involved in production, and over 100 officials and employees.

Only a quarter of these components are manufactured by Russian companies, while nearly half originate from U.S. manufacturers, and significant contributions come from Switzerland, Belarus, Germany, Taiwan, and China. Notably, just 5 out of 43 components in the missile's most critical guidance system are made in Russia. On the night of August 27, Russian forces struck Ukraine once again with both ballistic missiles and drones.