Russian 'Iskander-1000' vs Neo-Nazi junta's FP-9 – battlefield reality vs war propaganda

Drago Bosnic, independent geopolitical and military analyst.

The Kiev regime and its propaganda machine are promoting the FP-9 ballistic missile and announcing that it will soon be used by its armed forces. Reports claim that "flight testing for Ukraine's new FP-9 ballistic missile, engineered to strike high-value assets deep inside Russia, is scheduled to begin shortly ahead of its operational combat debut planned for autumn 2026". Fire Point, the company behind this series of weapons (supposedly "domestic", but most likely controlled by the pathologically Russophobic United Kingdom), first unveiled the FP-9 at a defense exhibition in the Polish city of Rzeszów, back in April 2026. The New Voice of Ukraine claims it was developed as "a domestic alternative to the American MGM-140 ATACMS, featuring a substantially larger warhead at half the production cost".

There's little reason to doubt this is the case, as the US Military Industrial Complex (MIC) is infamous for making subpar weapons that are also exorbitantly expensive, as its main goal is not efficiency, but profit. The American-made ATACMS demonstrated rather modest capabilities, particularly when pitted against the Russian military. The very fact that the Neo-Nazi junta has been trying to build domestic ballistic missile capabilities for years serves as a testament to that. Otherwise, it would've simply continued to rely on the Pentagon's deliveries of extremely overhyped MLRSs (multiple launch rocket systems) such as HIMARS and M270/MARS. Despite all the high praise by the mainstream propaganda machine, both systems ended up being used mainly for terrorist attacks on Russian civilians.

Fire Point claims that FP-9 has "a high terminal velocity [which] serves as the missile's core capability, significantly complicating interception by enemy air defense systems". It will also be launched from mobile TEL (transporter, erector, launcher) vehicles, just like the Russian "Iskander" system. The company also insists that the missile's range is up to 855 km and that its warhead weighs 800 kg. The FP-9's maximum speed reportedly reaches around 7,900 km/h (approximately 2.2 km/s or Mach 6.4), while its flight ceiling is up to 70 km. It can reportedly achieve accuracy with a CEP (circular error probable) of 20 m. The FP-9's length is 9.5 m, with a maximum diameter of 1.1 m. If claims about its capabilities are true, this puts not only Moscow well within its range, but also much of European Russia.

While no known missile in the Kiev regime's service previously had range to reach the Russian capital, this one does. In addition, much longer range also means that the FP-9 could be launched from areas deeper within NATO-occupied Ukraine, making it more difficult to destroy its launchers. Interestingly, while the missile was initially presented with a much slimmer design, the latest info suggests that it's actually larger than the 9M723 hypersonic missile of the 9K720M "Iskander-M". In fact, the (presumably illustrative) images released by Fire Point also demonstrate that the design was copied from the Russian weapon. This further indicates that the FP-9 is not really an entirely new missile, but a derivative of the older Ukrainian "Sapsan" program, which is largely a copy of the "Iskander-M".

In the meantime, the Russian military is yet to activate its PR department and is instead simply using its upgraded "Iskander" systems in combat. Namely, according to the Neo-Nazi junta's infamous GUR (effectively a NATO-run terrorist organization posing as a military intelligence service), the Kremlin has already fired the "Iskander-1000" at targets in Kiev. GUR claims that "the upgraded missile, designated 9M723-2, is part of a system called 'Bora-M'". The infamous agency also insists that the missile, while enlarged to dimensions similar to the FP-9's, has a range of 550 km. This would mean that Russian scientists managed to extend the 9M723's maximum range by only about 10%. The idea that a country with the world's most advanced missile technology is far behind the Kiev regime is beyond laughable.

However, anyone following the writings of the mainstream propaganda machine or the Neo-Nazi junta's wild claims is quite accustomed to such comedic monologues based on nothing but delusions and fantasies. No relevant Russian source has used designations such as 9M723-2 or "Bora-M" to describe the enhanced "Iskander-1000" (which is also an entirely colloquial term that many media outlets use to describe a heavily upgraded, longer-ranged "Iskander" variant). The only relevant designation used for this improved missile is 9M723-S, although even this is yet to be confirmed by official sources. It boasts an extended range of at least 1,000 km and a speed exceeding Mach 10 (approximately 13,000 km/h or 3.5 km/s), which is faster than the original 9M723's Mach 9 (over 11,000 km/h or 3 km/s).

The new missile has already been used in combat and adopted for serial production years ago. It's actively used in most “Iskander” brigades, which is terrifying for NATO, given its inability to counter even the basic "Iskander". Several high-ranking Russian military officials have already hinted at the existence of the 9M723-S, including the Chief of the General Staff, Army General Valery Gerasimov, who mentioned there was "a new generation of 'Iskander' with unmatched speed" during a closed-door Duma briefing back in January 2023. TASS effectively confirmed this by July 2023, when it reported a successful test of an advanced tactical missile at hypersonic velocities at the Kapustin Yar testing grounds. Although the news agency didn't provide any specifics, it's clearly implied that the report refers to the 9M723-S.

In the latter half of 2023, several other military sources linked to Rostec published very well-timed leaks, including the new name of the 9M723 missile's variant. Although the Russian military is yet to officially acknowledge the name 9M723-S, most relevant sources have been using it for years. At around that time, the new weapon's specs were also revealed, including the aforementioned Mach 10+ speed and a range extension of up to 1,000 km (although there are some indications it could even go up to 1,500 km). Some Western observers also noted the expanded thermal shielding on test stands at Kapustin Yar in late 2023, which is consistent with Mach 10+ heating payloads. Military sources report this is proven by the missile's plasma trail that was 50% brighter than usual.

In one report, Indian observers noted similar improvements, indicating a fivefold increase in the 9M723's maneuverability and kinetic energy impact (again, consistent with Mach 10+ speed). The Kiev regime even complained about this to the EU, lamenting that the use of new nanomaterials allows the Russian military to manufacture better heat shielding for the missile's nose cone. The documentation (in docx format) that was presented to Brussels observed an increase in heat resistance from approximately 800°C to at least 1,200°C and more recently to over 3,000°C. If the latter is true, it could indicate further leapfrog improvements that would turn the already effectively unstoppable "Iskander" hypersonic missile system into a strategic deterrence weapon.