Iskander missile with 1,000 km range: Reality or Russian propaganda?

This claim was made by an English-language source with a dubious reputation, known for consistently promoting Russia’s so-called “unparalleled” weapons, as noted by Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC).

Defense Express points out that Russian sources first mentioned plans to develop an extended-range Iskander in February 2024. Theoretically, installing a new solid-fuel engine could increase the missile’s range to 1,000 km or allow an increased warhead weight from 480 kg to 800 kg.

In July, an image of a modified Iskander ballistic missile surfaced, featuring a larger rocket engine—possibly the so-called "Iskander-1000." The footage was part of a video released for the 78th anniversary of the Kapustin Yar missile test range.

Testing of the hypothetical Iskander-1000, Photo: Defense Express

However, no official data on this development, its timeline, or its real capabilities have been disclosed. The video shows a missile launch, possibly its first test, but moving from such tests to serial production typically takes considerable time.

While it is clear that Russia is working on modernizing its ballistic missiles, the current stage of development remains uncertain. Previously, Russia avoided such active developments to conceal violations of the now-defunct INF Treaty.

At the same time, Russia is struggling even with the production of its existing 9M723 ballistic missiles, which have a stated range of up to 500 km. If production were not an issue, Russia would not need to rely on North Korean KN-23 missiles, which it is reportedly receiving at a rate of 150 per year.