The Russian Defense Ministry announced that in July, its forces conducted "large-scale coordinated strikes" using high-precision, air-, sea-, and ground-launched weapons, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These strikes targeted Ukrainian design bureaus, fuel production facilities, and missile assembly plants.

According to the ministry, these coordinated attacks also destroyed Western-supplied air defense systems deployed by Ukraine to protect these facilities. Among the destroyed equipment were the AN/MPQ-65 multi-function radar and 4 Patriot missile launchers in Dnipropetrovsk province.

The statement added, "Key defense industry facilities in Sumy and Dnipropetrovsk provinces were destroyed, halting Ukraine's cooperation with Western partners to produce missiles for strikes deep into Russian territory."

An explosion lights up the sky over Kyiv in the early hours of 21/7. Photo: *Reuters*

While the ministry didn't specify the exact timing of the strikes or the name of the halted missile program, the Federal Security Service (FSB) stated it had collaborated with the military to target facilities linked to Ukraine's Saspan ballistic missile project.

The FSB alleges that Ukraine, with financial and technical assistance from a Western European country, developed and launched the Saspan missile production line. These missiles, capable of striking deep into Russian territory, were being produced at factories in Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy provinces.

The FSB claims it gathered intelligence about the Saspan program, including the precise coordinates of facilities and their air defense systems, enabling the Russian military to target them effectively. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has not yet commented on these claims.

Throughout July, Russia conducted numerous coordinated strikes against Ukrainian defense industry infrastructure and military bases, utilizing a record number of UAVs and various missile types.

One of the most intense attacks occurred on 21/7. The Ukrainian Air Force Command reported that Russia attacked with five Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, 19 Kh-101, Kalibr, and Iskander-K cruise missiles, and 426 Geran-2 suicide drones and decoy aircraft. While claiming to have intercepted all 24 missiles and 403 UAVs, the Ukrainian Air Force admitted that 23 aircraft penetrated their defenses, striking three locations. Ukrainian media reported explosions across multiple provinces, with Kyiv and Ivano-Frankivsk most affected. The Russian Defense Ministry later announced it had destroyed three launchers and an AN/MPQ-65 fire control radar belonging to a Patriot air defense system.

A Saspan missile launcher in Kyiv, Ukraine in 2018. Photo: *Wikimedia*

Sapsan, also known as Grom, is a tactical ballistic missile system under development by Ukraine since 2006. It reportedly has a diameter of 0.9 meters and a range of 500 km. The missile carries a 500 kg warhead, with fragmentation or concrete-piercing options.

In 8/2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the successful test of Ukraine's first domestically produced ballistic missile but didn't provide specifics. Some Western military experts believe it could be the Sapsan.

Pham Giang (*Reuters, RIA Novosti*)