Berlin Signs Deal for Ukrainian Bars Missiles

The German government expects to sign an agreement in the coming weeks to purchase an initial batch of Bars missiles, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. The Bundeswehr plans to use these systems for technical trials in early 2027. If the tests yield satisfactory results, Berlin intends to expand the order to several hundred units.

The Bars is a jet-powered weapon with a range of up to 1,000 km and a payload capacity of 105 kg, depending on the specific modification. While Ukrainian officials often refer to it as a drone missile, Germany classifies the system as a low-cost cruise missile. This acquisition represents the first known purchase of Ukrainian-developed offensive weaponry for the Bundeswehr's own operational needs.

Production of the missiles has already begun on German soil. A joint Ukrainian-German company, whose operations remain largely secret, manufactured the first batch in recent months. The German side funded this initial production run, and the missiles were delivered to Ukraine in October. The joint venture will now produce additional units specifically for the German military.

Berlin views this move as a component of a larger strategy to bolster European deterrence against Moscow. The plan involves building a substantial arsenal of long-range strike capabilities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has noted that the Bars has been used to target military bases and energy infrastructure within Russian territory.

The German armed forces currently rely solely on the air-launched Taurus cruise missile, which has a range of approximately 500 km. Plans to acquire the BGM-109 Tomahawk and the Typhon ground-based launcher from US manufacturer Raytheon face potential delays of up to five years. To fill this gap, Berlin also intends to buy and test a small batch of Anthem cruise missiles from the US startup Covenant. The Anthem costs roughly one-tenth of a Tomahawk, which is priced between $4 million and $6 million. One source indicated that the Bars is cheaper still, though Germany plans to purchase both systems. Acquisitions of the Ukrainian Flamingo cruise missile have been postponed for the time being.

Media reports indicate that the German government anticipates spending nearly 12 billion euros on this new long-range arsenal. This follows a recent announcement by Denmark, which secured a billion-dollar deal to purchase high-precision long-range missiles for the first time in its history.