Russia Deploys 9M729 Missiles Once Behind U.S. Withdrawal from Nuclear Pact

Russia has used 9M729 cruise missiles in its recent attacks on Ukraine – the very weapon that once triggered the United States’ withdrawal from a landmark nuclear arms treaty in 2019. 

The Gaze reports this, referring to Reuters.

Moscow has launched the missile more than twenty times in recent months, marking its first confirmed combat use.

The 9M729 missile, known in NATO classification as SSC-8, was at the center of Washington’s decision to exit the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty during Donald Trump’s presidency. The U.S. argued that the system violated the treaty’s 500-kilometer range cap, while Russia denied the accusation.

According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the 9M729 can carry either a nuclear or conventional warhead and reach up to 2,500 kilometers, giving Moscow a powerful long-range strike capability across Europe.

A Reuters source revealed that since August, Russia has launched at least 23 of these missiles against Ukraine, with two earlier launches recorded in 2022. 

One missile, fired on October 5, reportedly flew more than 1,200 kilometers before hitting its target in western Ukraine.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed to Reuters that Russia has used 9M729 missiles in combat for the first time, calling it “a demonstration of Vladimir Putin’s disrespect toward the United States and diplomatic efforts by President Trump to end the war.”

Sybiha said Kyiv supports U.S.-led peace initiatives but emphasized that increasing Ukraine’s long-range strike capabilities remains crucial to compelling Moscow toward a genuine ceasefire.

Western military analysts warn that the use of the INF-banned 9M729 missile not only expands Russia’s capacity to strike deep inside Ukraine but also poses a new threat to European security.

“Putin is clearly trying to intensify pressure amid peace negotiations on Ukraine,” one defense expert told Reuters, noting that the missile was originally designed to target sites across Europe.

By allowing launches from well within Russian territory, the 9M729 enables strikes that evade most air-defense systems that could destabilize the entire regional security balance.

A Ukrainian official said the missile strikes began on August 21, less than a week after the Trump–Putin summit in Alaska. Satellite images and verified photos from Reuters showed debris from an October 5 strike in the Lapaivka village near Lviv, where four civilians were killed. Missile fragments, including a distinctive cable tube, were identified as parts of a 9M729 system.

Experts who examined the remains confirmed that the engine structure, casing, and serial markings matched those of the missile once at the heart of U.S.–Russian nuclear tensions.

As The Gaze previously reported, Russia announced “the successful testing” of a new winged missile with a nuclear engine, the Burevestnik.