Ukraine tests first indigenous ballistic missile, says used F-16s against Russia

KIEV:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that his military had recently carried out the first successful test of a domestically-produced ballistic missile.

His announcement in Kyiv came in the wake of two consecutive nights of large-scale Russian bombardments across Ukraine that killed several people and battered energy infrastructure.

"There has been a positive test of the first Ukrainian ballistic missile. I congratulate our defence industry on this. I can't share any more details about this missile," he said at a press conference in the Ukrainian capital.

Ukraine has been attempting to develop its own arms industry and encourage military production on its own territory as part of efforts to become less dependent on Western military aid.

Zelensky said last week that his forces had deployed in combat for the first time a Ukrainian-made long-range "rocket drone" called Palianytsia.

Kyiv has signed agreements with Western arms companies on the production of small arms and ammunition.

Zelensky also said that his military had deployed Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets to counter Russia's recent large-scale drone and missile attacks.

"We destroyed already some missiles and drones using the F-16," Zelensky said in English at a press conference in Kyiv, declining to give more details.