The Iskander systems, referred to in Western contexts as SS-26, are recognized for their advanced technology.
Recent tactical movements reveal the installation of 46 Iskander ballistic systems by Russia in areas bordering Ukraine.
Strategic deployment of ballistic systems
According to sources from Kyiv’s military intelligence agency (GUR), the active presence of 46 Iskander missile launch platforms has been identified on the Russian-Ukrainian border.
These units, belonging to Moscow’s tactical arsenal, can release both ballistic and cruise missiles, being able to hit vital structures within Ukrainian territory. During a recent briefing, Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy leader of the GUR, confirmed this revelation.
Official documents from the Kyiv General Staff reported that during the past day, Russia undertook 13 offensive operations against targets inside Ukraine, using the Iskander-K system against the town of Kryvyi Rih in one of these attacks.
History and capabilities of the Iskander
Iskander systems, referred to in Western contexts as SS-26, are recognized for their advanced technology. According to US Army sources, this surface-to-surface missile was classified as the most innovative in its category at the time of its introduction.
Initially conceived in the 1990s, the Russian armed forces officially fielded the Iskander-M model in 2006. These systems are versatile and capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads.
Furthermore, recent reports indicate that in the latest operations, Russia launched two missiles and used 32 Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicles, specifically Shahed drones, with 25 of them neutralized by the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense.
| Armament | Armor |
| Two 9M723K1 missiles | No armor protection for the TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher) truck |
| User countries | Missile weight |
| Algeria, Armenia, Belarus, Russia, North Korea | 3,800 kg |
| design country | Missile length |
| Russia | 7.3 m |
| Ogive | Missile range |
| Conventional or nuclear | – Iskander 50 a 280 km – Iskander-M 50 a 400 km |
| Missile power | Guided system |
| 700/480 kg HE, cluster or penetrator | – Active radar terminal for Iskander – Inertial and optical guidance for Iskander-M |
Tactical update on the Ukrainian front
In a defensive and offensive shift, Ukraine’s armed forces are conducting operations in the east and south of the country. The counteroffensive has lasted more than three months and intensified fighting, especially in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Russian servicemen equip an Iskander tactical missile system at the Army-2015 international military-technical forum in Kubinka, outside Moscow, Russia, June 17, 2015. (Photo credit: REUTERS/SERGEI KARPUKHIN)High-ranking Kyiv officials have confirmed significant advances, breaking through the first Russian defensive lines near the city of Robotyne.
General Mark Milley of the joint military coalition provided a time projection, suggesting that Ukrainian forces have a window of 30 to 45 days of effective combat operations before weather conditions become adverse. However, Major General Kyrylo Budanov of Ukraine countered this claim, guaranteeing the continuity of the counteroffensive regardless of weather challenges.
