Are ballistic missiles running out in Russia - expert Kovalenko gave an answer that Ukrainians are unlikely to like

Russia is not running out of Iskander ballistic missiles, and their production has actually increased — to three units per day versus one per week in 2021. This was stated on 7 August by military-political commentator Oleksandr Kovalenko. According to him, the stockpile accumulated since 2025 has hardly decreased, so talk of a shortage of Iskanders in Russia is unfounded. The commentator emphasized that the use of Russian missiles remains within existing production capacities. He urged Ukrainians to assess the enemy's capabilities accurately, rather than hope for a rapid depletion of its missile arsenal.

The comment was prompted by a question posed to Kovalenko — whether Russia is running out of Iskander ballistic missiles and where they might find replacements. The commentator noted that the wording of the question is incorrect from a terminological point of view.

"There are no ‘Iskander’ ballistic missiles — there is the operational-tactical missile system Iskander-M/K, while the missile itself is the 9M723," Kovalenko said.

The expert's main argument is simple: something that is produced continuously cannot run out. Production of 9M723 missiles today is three finished units per day, whereas in 2021 production was only one missile per week.

"Even the stockpile accumulated since 2025 hasn't really been depleted, so I have no idea where these assumptions that the RVV is running out of something came from," Oleksandr Kovalenko said.

The commentator added that the enemy's use, in addition to 9M723, of missiles such as the 48N6DM, 3M22, P-800 and North Korean KN-23 indicates a scaling up of terror within the available production capacities of all modifications. In his observations, over 7 months of 2026 the monthly strikes never once exceeded monthly production, which points to the rational planning of terror against Ukrainian cities by the Russian military-political leadership.

Assess the threat without illusions

Kovalenko warned against ‘warm baths’ of dreaming that the enemy will run out of missiles. In his view, it is better to prepare for the opposite scenario — and to assess the enemy's capabilities and methods of countering threats as realistically as possible, without complacency.

This warning comes against the backdrop of the Kremlin regularly demonstrating ballistic strikes on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, emphasizing the availability of resources to continue the terror.

Ukraine's response to the missile threat is developing

Earlier, Informator reported that Ukraine has the capacity to develop its own ballistic capability, and the president named an approximate date when such weapons could enter service. We also wrote that the Ukrainian ballistic missile FP-7 is undergoing codification at the Ministry of Defense, and according to Reuters, its combat use is approaching.