Ukraine has increased its ability to hit the interior of Russia with its own means and without depending on external conditions with The beginning of the mass production of the new HiM-2 ballistic missile. Valentyn Badrakdirector of Army Studies Center, Conversion and Disarmament of Ukrainemade the announcement in an interview with the Ukranian Ukrinform medium on Tuesday, in which he pointed out that the entrance of the missile in production occurs after a successful attack against a Russian command post last May. This has been the last of the evidence to which HRIM-2 has been submitted after its development is reactivated as a consequence of the Russian invasion initiated in February 2022.
He HRIM-2 -What, although in previous information this name has received and also that of Sapsan, still does not have an official denomination– has been developed by the Yuzhnoye design office and manufactured by Yuzhmash In Dnipró. The missile has a reach of up to 300 kilometersaccording to its configuration, and carries a conventional eye of up to 400 kilogramsmore than five times the payload of some western missiles. Weighs between 2 and 3 tons and It operates from a mobile platform. This allows to deploy it and hide it quickly and give Ukraine a new ability to attack the Russian rear.
The missile has its roots in the designs of the R-12 and R-16 Soviet. The project, initiated in the early 2000s and then abandoned, was resumed at the beginning of the war. Progress accelerated in 2024, when missile development became under the direct supervision of the general Klochko and the Ministry of Defense. The test phase concluded with the successful May attack, after which Ukraine has begun to produce between 40 and 50 hrim-2 per month. Your current stock is unknown.
The advantages of HRIM-2 compared to the missiles supplied by the West
Compared to the current arsenal of Ukraine, which includes the Atacms Americans and cruise missiles Storm Shadow/Scalp Anglo-French, the HRIM-2 It offers several advantages. Unlike foreign systems, often subject to political restrictions that limit their use in Russian territory, HRIM-2 is from Ukraine and lacks such limitations; It can be used immediately against any objective without requiring an external authorization.
‘This missile is clearly larger than the attacms we have now. And most importantly: has learned to hit with precision‘, Badrak said. His eye, in addition, is much heavier than that of the most recent American ballistic missiles, which is around 91 kg, which gives him greater destructive power.
Kostiantyn Kryvolap, an aviation expert, explained to the Ukrainian medium United24 that the effectiveness of the missile lies in Its combination of scope, payload and precision: ‘A 400 kilograms eye is very powerful for a missile of this class’. Kryvolap also ensures that in the future variants could be developed with greater reach At the cost of reducing the weight of the explosive load, increasing the fuel capacity and modifying the engine. ‘According to international agreements, the limit for export is 300 kilometers, but for internal use it should be extended at 500 kilometers. Maybe they haven’t succeeded, but they will, ‘he adds.
The accuracy of HRIM-2
Ivan Kyrychevskyi, defense analyst of the Middle Express, also points out that one of Ukraine’s great achievements with this missile is his precision. ‘People often ask why we do not reuse the old PivdenMash missiles (manufacturer of the Soviet era). The answer is that they were not precise enough. To match something like Russian Iskander, a completely different kind of electronics is needed. If the missile reached its goal, it means that we have solved the problem of electronics, ‘he explains.
He HRIM-2 Turn Ukraine into the eleventh country with the capacity to manufacture their own ballistic missileswhich gives it not only tactical advantage but also political, by increasing its ability to deal with Russia without depending on third parties. ‘This is an operating-technical level missile: it is thought To destroy logistics centers, command posts and ammunition deposits‘, says Kryvolap.
The new missile could be launched from mobile platforms located between 40 and 50 kilometers from the front, achieved targets located to 230 or 240 kilometers within the Russian territory. Kryvolap estimates that destroying a Shahed drone manufacturing installation would require Four to five missiles of this type. However, he points out that to achieve a real strategic impact, a missile would be needed with 700 kilometers of reach And an eye of 500 kilogramsenough to attack the 80 % of Russian military-industrial complex.
Can Russia intercept it?
Kryvolap is skeptical about the Russian capacity to intercept ballistic missiles. ‘S-300 and S-400 systems only have a 30 % probability of achieving a ballistic objective. If you release two missiles at the same time, do not intercept it, ‘he explains.
The fact that it reaches Speeds close to hypersonic In some phases of its flight it hinders interception by Russian aerial defenses. ‘S-300 and S-400 are effective against cruise missiles, not against ballistic. To tear down one, the interceptor must reach it directly, and Russia does not have that guided capacity‘, says Kryvolap.