Ukrainian defense firm Fire Point, best known for the FP‑1, FP‑2 and FP‑5 drones that have carried out roughly 60% of Kyiv's strikes inside Russia, announced a partnership with German radar specialist Hensoldt to develop a cheap ballistic‑missile interceptor called Freyja. The move places the company at both the offensive and defensive ends of Ukraine's deep‑strike campaign.
Fire Point's drones have recently hit targets as far as the Tyumen oil refinery, 1,286 miles from the border, and the upgraded FP‑1 now boasts a 1,677‑mile range. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the latest models can reach up to 3,000 km, supporting a “long‑range sanctions” effort that logged at least 28 strikes on Russian fuel infrastructure in June, squeezing Moscow’s gasoline output.
The FP‑7.X interceptor, wrapped in radar from Hensoldt and tracking and command systems from European partners such as Leonardo and Kongsberg, aims for a $700,000 per‑shot price—well below the $3‑4 million cost of a Patriot. Production is slated to start in August with three units a day, and the first test intercept is planned for the end of 2027. While the venture highlights Ukraine's shift from weapons recipient to supplier, Fire Point remains under investigation for alleged ties to businessman Timur Mindich.
