Ukrainian weapons manufacturer Fire Point has announced that it has developed technological solutions allowing it to strike long-range targets inside Russia and occupied regions of Ukraine without using SpaceX satellite communications. This was stated by company CEO Iryna Terekh in an interview provided to Reuters. The statement came as Ukrainian defense forces faced Starlink speed restrictions for ten days in October 2026, which, according to RBC-Ukraine, hindered drone defense tasks and strike missions.
Dependence on Starlink and Its Limits
Ukraine's defense forces rely heavily on Elon Musk's satellite infrastructure for communications over their territory. Kyiv previously asked SpaceX to expand coverage to Russian territory, but full access was never granted. According to Terekh, the workaround solutions found allow the company to "technologically overcome" the lack of a satellite signal, though they cover only 15–20% of the potential that would be available if Starlink were fully operational over Russian territory. "We built with this in mind. Fire Point systems are designed to complete missions without satellite communications. Navigation that works without any external signal is a priority," the company head emphasized.
FP-7: First Combat Missile and Strike on Iskanders
In October 2026, Ukraine announced the first combat use of the FP-7 tactical ballistic missile produced by Fire Point to hit a target in occupied territory. The missile has a range of about 300 km, making it suitable for hitting Russian Iskander short-range ballistic missile launchers. Terekh called the FP-7 "a valuable addition to the weapons arsenal helping to protect our cities" and noted that its use is more cost-effective than using American Patriot interceptor missiles. At the same time, she indicated that full access to SpaceX systems over Russia would be a "game-changer" for attacks on ballistic missile launchers.
FP-9 and Project Freyja: The 2026–2027 Horizon
In parallel, Fire Point is developing the FP-9 ballistic missile with a range of 800 km. According to Terekh's assessment, this project is close to combat readiness this year, although the longer range complicates both development and testing. A separate direction is Project Freyja, a pan-European missile defense system coordinated by Fire Point. Interception of a virtual target by the missile system is expected by the end of 2026, while interception of a physical target is planned for mid-2027.
Production Expansion and International Context
Amid technological restrictions, Fire Point is expanding its production facilities outside Ukraine. In Denmark, a local branch of the company is building a solid rocket fuel manufacturing plant, which allows for the diversification of supply chains and reduces vulnerability to infrastructure strikes inside the country. In October, Ukrainian FP-1 drones already attacked oil facilities in St. Petersburg and the VKontakte data center in the Leningrad region, demonstrating that the deep-strike campaign inside Russia continues even under partial satellite communication restrictions.
Kyiv's Position: Demand for Predictable Rules
Iryna Terekh expressed a position that goes beyond a purely technical issue: "We want an alliance with America where the rules are known in advance, so the question of whether we can defend ourselves doesn't come up again every few weeks depending on someone's mood." This statement highlights a systemic problem: dependence on commercial satellite infrastructure that does not submit to military protocols creates periodic "blind spots" at a time when the enemy is actively deploying drones and ballistic missiles.
