Discussion about long-range missiles is pushing out a less prominent but equally important problem from the agenda: how to strike targets in the enemy's near rear — at 40–150 kilometers from the front line.
What is a kill zone and where does it end
In recent years, Ukrainian FPV drones and strike unmanned systems have formed a zone of constant destruction along the entire front. According to data cited by Espreso.tv, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have expanded the effective kill zone to 30–40 kilometers from the line of contact, forcing Russia to withdraw armored vehicles beyond this mark. Individual units, particularly those using fiber-optic drones, already work steadily at depths of 20–30 kilometers.
However, a kill zone is not a physical wall. Beyond it lies a space where the enemy still feels relatively safe: barracks, ammunition and fuel depots, logistics hubs are located there. This very zone — from 40 to approximately 150 kilometers — is an operational gap in the Ukrainian fire containment.
Hetman's argument: not range, but expediency
"If a target can be destroyed by a shorter-range missile that costs significantly less, then that is exactly what should be done. This is a question not only of military effectiveness but also of the economics of war".
Military expert Oleksiy Hetman, comment for UNN
According to Hetman, this concerns short-range ballistic missiles — essentially a modern analog of the Soviet Tochka-U complex. He emphasizes: the need for such weapons existed several years ago and has not disappeared. Using expensive long-range missiles against depots in the near rear is an irrational expenditure of resources.
One should not imagine such a missile as an "Iskander-M", which rises almost into space, the expert clarifies. This is a more compact, cheaper system for strikes at tactical and operational depth.
Context: what already exists and what is lacking
Ukraine is moving in this direction. In May 2025, the first documented combat use of the Sapsan operational-tactical missile system occurred — the missile struck a Russian command post at a distance of about 300 kilometers. Serial production, according to the head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak, has already been launched.
However, Sapsan is a system for deep strikes. For the interval between the drone kill zone and the range of strategic missiles, there is still a lack of a mass, affordable solution. As analyst Fabian Hoffmann notes in a study for Focus.ua, the "Grim-2" program has faced financial and technological delays for years — and this gap in fire capabilities remains unresolved.
ISW separately noted that Ukraine's ability to strike mobile targets and logistics far behind the front line is gradually degrading Russia's capacity to conduct offensive operations. However, this effect is achieved primarily by drones — a means vulnerable to electronic warfare and weather conditions, rather than by missiles with guaranteed payload delivery.
What's next
While the Armed Forces of Ukraine are ramping up Sapsan production for deep strikes, the question of missiles for the intermediate zone — from 40 to 150 kilometers — remains open. If Ukraine does not fill this range with its own serial system, the enemy will have a structural advantage in protecting rear logistics even with complete Ukrainian drone dominance at the front.
