What is the Iskander missile system?: Iskander (9K720) is Russia's short-range Ballistic missile system. The Iskander-M has a range of up to 500 km. Russia uses it extensively against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
How does Ukraine defend against Iskander missiles?: Ukraine primarily uses Patriot PAC-3 MSE to intercept Iskander Ballistic Missiles, at ~$13.5 million per intercept. Low-cost interceptor drones are not effective against ballistic trajectories.Source: event
How many Iskander missiles did Russia fire in March 2026?: Russia launched 68 missiles including Iskander variants alongside 430 drones on 13-14 March 2026, the heaviest combined strike of the war to that point.Source: Ukrainian General Staff
Where are Iskander components made?: The Kremniy El plant in Bryansk manufactures microelectronic components used in Iskander guidance systems. Ukraine struck it on 10 March 2026 using Storm Shadow missiles.Source: Ukrainian General Staff
What is the range of the Iskander missile?: The Iskander-M has a maximum range of approximately 500 km under the INF Treaty's declared parameters; some estimates suggest longer effective range under certain warhead configurations.

Background

The Iskander (9K720) is Russia's primary short-range Ballistic missile system, with two variants: the Iskander-M Ballistic missile (range up to 500 km) and the Iskander-K cruise missile carrier. Russia has used Iskander extensively against Ukrainian targets throughout the war. On the night of 13-14 March 2026, Russia launched 430 drones and 68 missiles in its heaviest combined strike of the war to that point, with Iskander ballistic missiles among the systems employed.

Ukraine has struck over 20 Russian air defence targets between 1 and 15 March 2026 — S-400, S-300, and Buk systems — in a campaign designed to degrade the defensive umbrella protecting Russian Iskander launchers from counter-strike. The Kremniy El plant in Bryansk, struck by Ukraine on 10 March, produces components used in Iskander guidance systems, making deep strikes on microelectronics a counter-Iskander strategy as much as a symbolic attack.

Iskander's ballistic trajectory makes it difficult to intercept: Patriot PAC-3 MSE can engage it but each intercept costs upwards of $13.5 million. Ukraine's low-cost interceptor drone programme, which accounts for over 30% of air defence kills, does not effectively engage ballistic trajectories. Iskander remains one of the hardest elements of Russia's strike mix to defeat cost-effectively.

How the World Sees Them

NATO

Alliance planners are concerned that Iskander's range and accuracy could threaten logistics nodes near the Polish and Romanian borders in the event of conflict widening.

Russia

Moscow deploys Iskander as a strategic coercion tool as well as a battlefield weapon; its use in mass strikes is designed to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences and test Patriot inventory levels.

Ukraine

Kyiv treats Iskander supply chains — including Bryansk's Kremniy El — as priority deep-strike targets; degrading component production is a force multiplication strategy against one of Russia's most effective systems.