‘Propaganda Move to Spread Fear’ – Ukraine Dismisses Russia’s New ‘Iskander-1000’

Several military-specialized outlets, including Military Watch Magazine and Bulgarian Military, recently reported that Russia is preparing to mass-produce a new version of its Iskander-M ballistic missile system, which could have a range of up to 1,000 kilometers – twice the reach of the current version.

The publications, citing unnamed sources, stated that the missile had been informally called the Iskander-1000 and that its development was first mentioned in May 2024, when Russia celebrated the 78th anniversary of the Kapustin Yar missile test range.

However, Ukraine has dismissed these reports as disinformation. Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, refuted the claims and accused Russia of using the English-language publication to spread propaganda.

“The English-language outlet, which wrote a fake story about Russia’s ability to produce 25 oreshnik missiles a month, now writes lies about Russia’s development of a new Iskander flying 1,000 km,” Kovalenko wrote, referring to the Military Watch Magazine.

According to him, the goal is to push this narrative into the Ukrainian information space and create panic about a new long-range missile system.

The outlets have reported that the alleged upgraded missile retains the same structural design as the previous 9M723-1/K5 model but comes with several key enhancements.

Other Topics of Interest

Russian Soldier Suspected of Holding Ukrainian Woman in Sexual Slavery

According to Ukrainian National Police, the woman was reportedly locked in an apartment in Belgorod, where a Russian serviceman held her captive for over a year.

“One key component is the autonomous inertial navigation system, which provides high accuracy by using built-in sensors to track the missile’s position and orientation during flight,” rather than externally provided satellite information, e.g., GPS triangulation-based positional updates,the Bulgarian Military report read.

The Iskander-1000 may include electronic countermeasures such as decoys and jamming technology designed to trick enemy missile defenses, the outlet wrote.

One major advantage of the Iskander-1000, pointed out by the publication, is that it could be launched from the same mobile platforms as the existing Iskander-M. Its ground-based launch system also makes it harder to track compared to air-launched missiles like the Kinzhal.

“The Iskander-1000’s ground-based launch means that heat signatures are only visible during its shorter active flight phases, giving adversaries mere minutes to react,” the publication read.

In the final part of the article, the outlet provides an “assessment,” that if the Iskander-1000 launcher was stationed in Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania, it would put most of Eastern and Central Europe within range, threatening NATO military bases in Germany, Poland, and the Baltics.

Near Ukraine, particularly in Crimea or eastern regions under Russian control, it could strike deep into Ukrainian territory, targeting airbases, military command centers, and supply routes – or civilian apartments and children’s oncology wards.

In the north, deployment in St. Petersburg or Karelia could act as a deterrent against Finland, which recently joined NATO. Although less likely, placing it in Russia’s Far East near Vladivostok could serve as a counterbalance to US and Japanese military presence in the Pacific.

For now, Russia has not officially confirmed the existence of the Iskander-1000.