Ukraine unveils balloon‑launched DART missile aimed at Russian power grids

Ukraine’s Center of Innovative Technologies Program (CITP) has presented the DART missile, a guided weapon designed to be released from stratospheric balloons at altitudes of 12–18 km. After separation, the missile follows satellite navigation until about 6 km, then shuts off all guidance and proceeds on a fixed trajectory powered by a solid‑fuel engine, making it resistant to Russian electronic‑warfare jamming. The weapon is 1.84 m long, weighs 13 kg and can carry a graphite‑based warhead of 3.5–10 kg intended to create short‑circuits in electrical grids deep inside Russia.

The system was shown at the Eurosatory defence exhibition on 16 June 2026. Ukrainian officials say more than 1,000 balloons have already been floated into Russian airspace, exploiting west‑to‑east winds to drift over the country, with some observed over Moscow in September 2025. The DART is still pending formal codification by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence, but plans are under way to develop related aerostat‑borne strike platforms.

The missile’s low‑cost, low‑radar‑visibility balloon launch method is touted as a way to extend strike reach without costly aircraft, potentially altering the dynamics of Ukraine’s long‑range attacks on Russian infrastructure.