London, January 13 2026, (Agencies) -The United Kingdom has announced plans to develop new long-range missiles for Ukraine that would be capable of striking targets deep inside Russian territory, further expanding military support for Kiev amid the ongoing conflict.
According to the UK Ministry of Defence, the initiative, dubbed Project Nightfall, aims to enhance Ukraine’s long-range strike capabilities through the development of new tactical ballistic missiles. The proposed missiles would have a range of more than 500 kilometres and carry a warhead weighing approximately 200 kilograms.
Under the plan, contracts will be awarded to three industrial teams tasked with producing test missiles within a year. The ministry said production could later be scaled up to as many as ten missile systems per month, with the cost of each missile estimated at up to one million dollars. Proposals are due to be submitted in early February, while contracts are expected to be signed by March 2026.
UK Defence Procurement Minister Luke Pollard said the project reflects Britain’s commitment to Ukraine’s defence, stating that a secure Europe depends on a strong Ukraine. He added that the new missiles would help Ukraine remain resilient and place additional pressure on Russian leadership.
Reacting to the announcement, Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin told Russian media that London was engaging in wishful thinking by promising to supply Ukraine with missiles that have yet to be developed. He suggested the plan was more political messaging than a concrete military capability at this stage.
Britain has been one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters since the escalation of the conflict in February 2022, supplying a range of advanced weaponry, including Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles. London has also lifted restrictions on the use of these weapons against targets inside Russia, a move Moscow has repeatedly condemned as a dangerous escalation.
Ukraine has previously used Storm Shadow missiles in strikes on targets in Crimea and the Donbass region, while also carrying out frequent drone attacks on other Russian regions, including Moscow. Russia has accused Kiev of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, an allegation Ukraine denies.
Moscow has consistently warned that Western arms supplies to Ukraine undermine prospects for a negotiated settlement and risk drawing NATO countries directly into the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that any weapons shipments to Ukraine would be regarded as legitimate military targets.