---
title: "Zelensky: Russia aims to produce up to 100 ballistic missiles per month — up to 1,300 per year"
description: "Zelensky stated that Russia is aiming to produce up to 100 ballistic missiles per month, which could amount to up to 1,300 per year. Kyiv is intensifying strikes on Russian military targets."
date: 2026-08-23T08:14:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/zelensky-russia-targets-1300-ballistic-missiles-per-year
tags: [ukraine-war, ballistic-missiles, zelensky, russia-defense, air-defense]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Zelensky: Russia aims to produce up to 100 ballistic missiles per month — up to 1,300 per year

![Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a podium against a blue backdrop during his statement on Russia's ballistic missile production](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/23/rossiya-planirovat-1300-balisticheskikh-raket-v-god/rossiya-planirovat-1300-balisticheskikh-raket-v-god-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Zelensky assessed Russia's target rate for ballistic missiles at around 100 per month, or up to 1,300 per year.
- The president emphasized that Russia has not yet reached such a rate, and 1,300 is the upper limit of the estimate.
- GUR reports that Russia is overfulfilling its production plans by 110–120% for a number of missile types.
- Ukraine is intensifying strikes on military targets and relies on air defense (IRIS-T, Hawk) and aviation for deterrence.

During a meeting with journalists, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed Kyiv's assessment of Russia's plans to ramp up the production of ballistic missiles. According to him, Moscow is aiming for a pace of around 100 ballistic missiles per month, which could amount to up to 1,300 such munitions per year. The head of state emphasized that the figure he cited is the “most frightening” and reflects the upper limit of the volume that, according to the Ukrainian side's assessment, the Russian defense industry is targeting.

### Moscow's plans for ballistic missile production

Zelensky explained that Ukraine understands what level of production Russia is aiming for “by the end of winter.” According to him, Moscow's target figure is approximately 100 ballistic missiles per month. At the same time, the president stated outright that Russia has not yet reached such a production rate: the cited 1,300 missiles per year represent a target benchmark, not a recorded current result. That is precisely why, in his words, one of Kyiv's main tasks is to prevent a sharp increase in the production of these munitions on Russian territory.

### Current rates and intelligence data

The context of the president's statements is supplemented by data from the Main Directorate of Intelligence, according to which Russia's main production plans are being fulfilled at 110–120%, and for certain types of weapons the figures are significantly above plan. In particular, in July, according to available information, 87 Kh-101 missiles were produced against a plan of 72, 29 “Kalibr” missiles against a plan of 26, and 65 9M723 ballistic missiles for “Iskander” systems against a plan of 60. These figures confirm a sustained trend of overfulfilling production targets, which, by Zelensky's logic, is what the Ukrainian side is reacting to.

### Contradictory data

The statements by the parties and the intelligence assessments contain a number of inconsistencies that are important to distinguish. On the one hand, Zelensky characterizes 1,300 missiles per year as the upper limit (“up to 1,300,” “the most frightening figure”) and simultaneously emphasizes that Russia “does not yet have such a production rate.” On the other hand, GUR data on overfulfilling plans by 110–120% indicates that actual output already exceeds target figures for a number of items. Thus, there is a gap between the target benchmark (100 per month), the current actual rate, and the intelligence assessment of plan overfulfillment: neither side provides a single verified figure for the actual monthly output of ballistic missiles, and 1,300 per year remains a ceiling estimate rather than a confirmed statistical indicator.

### Ukraine's countermeasures and the role of air defense

According to Zelensky, Ukraine is deliberately working to weaken the Russian military industry, including strikes on military targets and other measures aimed at reducing Russia's capabilities. He noted that Kyiv is carrying out “separate complex operations” that have already begun to yield first results, and that the task is not to allow Russia to carry out massive missile attacks. The president also explained Moscow's motivation: Russia is ramping up precisely ballistic missiles because other types — primarily cruise missiles — have been learned to be shot down more effectively by Ukrainian air defense. To counter cruise missiles, he said, various air defense systems are used, including IRIS-T and Hawk, as well as combat aviation.

### Context: escalation of strikes and North Korean missiles

The statements about the growth in ballistic missile production come at a time when Russia continues active missile strikes on Ukrainian territory, including Kyiv and the Kyiv region, and is also using North Korean KN-23 missiles in its attacks, which, according to Zelensky's assessment, increases pressure on air defense systems. The combination of these factors explains why Kyiv views curbing the growth in ballistic missile production in Russia as a priority direction, and the estimate of 1,300 missiles per year as a key threat indicator monitored by Ukrainian intelligence and military structures.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Russia could reach production of 1,300 ballistic missiles per year, - Zelensky](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rosiya-mozhe-viyti-virobnitstvo-1300-balistichnih-1787472705.html) - Первичный источник заявления Зеленского: 100 ракет/мес, до 1300/год, текущий темп ниже, удары по военным целям, ПВО IRIS-T/Hawk.
- [LIVE Live, War in Ukraine: missile strikes on Kyiv and the Kyiv region, attack on an Ozon warehouse near Samara ...](https://www.bbc.com/russian/live/cp8x50y7gn0t?page=36) - Контекст: продолжающиеся ракетные удары по Киеву и Киевской области.
- [LIVE Live, War in Ukraine: Russia attacked Kyiv with ballistic missiles, rescuers reported ...](https://www.bbc.com/russian/live/cp8x50y7gn0t?page=31) - Контекст: продолжающиеся ракетные удары по Киеву и Киевской области.
- [Zelensky: Russia intensified strikes on Ukraine with North Korean KN-23 missiles](https://mignews.com/news/politic/zelenskij-rossiya-usilila-udary-po-ukraine-severokorejskimi-raketami-kn-23.html) - Контекст: использование РФ северокорейских ракет KN-23 в ударах по Украине.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: How many ballistic missiles per year, according to Zelensky's assessment, can Russia produce?
**A:** Zelensky cited an upper limit of 1,300 missiles per year, which corresponds to a target rate of about 100 missiles per month.

### Q: Has Russia already reached such a production rate?
**A:** No. According to Zelensky, Russia does not yet have such a rate; 1,300 per year is a target benchmark and the “most frightening figure,” not a current fact.

### Q: What is Ukraine doing to curb this production?
**A:** Ukraine is striking Russian military targets and carrying out “complex operations” to weaken the Russian military industry, and is also relying on air defense (IRIS-T, Hawk) and combat aviation.

### Q: Why is Russia focusing specifically on ballistic missiles?
**A:** According to Zelensky, because other types of missiles, primarily cruise missiles, have been learned to be shot down more effectively by Ukrainian air defense, whereas the situation with ballistic missiles is more difficult.