New Ukrainian Drone Missile ‘Bars’ Can Strike 800 Kilometres into Russia

Ukraine has unveiled a powerful new weapon named Bars, a domestically developed drone missile capable of hitting targets as far as 800 kilometres inside Russian territory. The revelation was confirmed by the BBC, which cited a senior Ukrainian government source. The Bars missile, produced by Ukraine’s private sector, forms part of a wider family of new-generation guided munitions including the Palyanytsia, Peklo, and Ruta systems.

Herman Smetanin, Ukraine’s Minister for Strategic Industries, officially named Bars during the Ukrainian Weapons 2024 briefing but provided few technical details at the time. However, he confirmed that Ukraine now possesses a class of fundamentally different cruise and drone missiles designed for precision long distance strikes.

Bars is believed to be similar in design to the Peklo missile, featuring a medium-range strike capability estimated between 700 and 800 kilometres. According to the BBC, Bars is built for scalability and is ready for mass production within Ukraine. The system is expected to join Ukraine’s Defence Forces soon and will be deployed for deep strike missions against Russian military infrastructure.

This announcement follows a dramatic ramp up in Ukraine’s domestic missile production. By the end of 2024, Ukraine had increased its missile manufacturing output by eight times. In November 2024 alone, over 100 missile systems were reportedly produced. This included an expanded range of the R-360 Neptune cruise missile, which now boasts a strike range of up to 1,000 kilometres.

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed in November 2024 that Ukraine plans to manufacture up to 3,000 cruise and drone missiles in 2025. In March 2025, he announced further range enhancements for the Neptune missile, cementing Ukraine’s shift towards long range strategic deterrence through advanced domestic systems.

Ukraine’s military innovation has accelerated under the pressure of Russia’s ongoing invasion. The Bars missile, along with its sister systems, provides Ukraine with new tools to deliver precision strikes deep into enemy territory. The weapon is also a symbol of Ukraine’s ability to independently strengthen its defence capabilities despite external challenges and active conflict.

The development of the Bars drone missile marks a new phase in Ukraine’s defence strategy, which now leans heavily on the agility, cost efficiency, and high strike accuracy offered by modern drone warfare.

President Zelensky’s strategy to increase missile production aims to secure Ukraine’s ability to retaliate swiftly and target enemy assets far beyond the frontlines. Defence Minister Rustem Umierov previously confirmed that production of the Neptune missile had already been expanded with improved range and performance.