Anastasia Ryabokon8:48 PM, June 21, 2026
It is known that the production of these weapons is financed by Germany.
The new Ukrainian Bars RS cruise missile was unveiled for the first time at the Eurosatory 2026 defense exhibition, held in Paris from June 15 to 19. According to analysts at Defense Express , this weapon may have already been used during the attacks on Moscow on May 17 and June 18 of this year.
It is known that Germany is funding the production of this weapon. Although the manufacturer is not being named for security reasons, the characteristics of the Bars RS have allowed us to assess the missile’s capabilities.
The publication cited information from Jane’s that these cruise missiles are already being used to strike Russia at depths of up to 1,000 kilometers. It noted that the Bars RS variant differs from the base model in having “an enlarged fuel tank, maximum takeoff weight, and a larger warhead.”
The Bars RS warhead is known to weigh 22 kilograms. The missile has a maximum takeoff weight of 135 kilograms, with a fuel tank capacity of 95 liters. Its confirmed cruising speed is 400–450 km/h, and its maximum speed is 620 km/h.
There is information about another variant of the Bars missile with a takeoff weight of 220 kilograms. These cruise missiles likely have three variants, each with a different warhead weight: 22 kilograms, 60 kilograms, and 105 kilograms.
According to the agency, the manufacturer has already conducted 7,000 launches of the Bars family of missiles.
Analysts added that the design of this Ukrainian missile was only revealed in December 2025. However, by that time, it had already been used for some time in strikes against Russia. A salvo could contain up to 100 missiles.
“The use of Bars cruise missiles in strikes against Moscow in May and June of this year is confirmed by videos posted on social media,” the authors added. At the same time, the Russians claimed to have two variants of the missile – the Bars RS and the Bars SM Gladiator.
Ukrainian missiles – more news
As a reminder, Destinus, a supplier of cruise missiles and missile-launched drones to Ukraine, and the American company Shield AI, which specializes in combat artificial intelligence , have signed a strategic cooperation agreement. As a result, the Hivemind combat AI has been integrated into the Ruta long-range munitions system and the Hornet anti-aircraft drones.
It’s worth noting that the Ruta missile-drone , first announced in December 2024, represents a new generation of attack UAVs for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It combines the functions of a missile and a drone, is capable of operating in dense air defense environments, and boasts high precision. Its swarm deployment—that is, the coordination of dozens of aircraft—combined with AI opens new horizons for autonomous operations on the battlefield.
(C)UNIAN 2026