Reuters: Russia uses 9M729 ‘Screwdriver’ missile that ended major US-Russian arms treaty

Russia has begun using the 9M729 cruise missile against Ukraine, the same weapon that prompted the United States to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019, Reuters reports.

The 9M729 can be equipped with either a conventional or nuclear warhead and is believed to have a range of up to 2,500 kilometers (about 1,550 miles).

Washington accused Moscow years ago of secretly developing the missile in violation of the INF treaty, which banned ground-launched missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. 

Russia denied the charge, but the dispute ultimately caused the treaty to collapse.

Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Minister Andriy Sybiha confirmed the use of the missile. According to him, Russia has launched at least 23 strikes with the 9M729 since August, with some recorded incidents dating back to 2022.

These attacks have killed civilians. On Oct. 5, a strike on the village of Lapaivka in the Lviv region killed five civilians, and examined fragments confirmed the missile used was the 9M729.

“Russia’s use of the INF-banned 9M729 against Ukraine in the past months demonstrates Putin’s disrespect to the United States and President Trump’s diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Sybiha said.

Russia’s Defense Ministry has not commented on the missile’s use. In Washington, officials have not provided details on the attacks, though U.S. President Donald Trump recently ordered the resumption of U.S. nuclear weapons testing, citing increased activity by other nations in this area.

The INF Treaty, signed between the U.S. and the USSR in 1987, prohibited the deployment of ground-based missiles with intermediate and shorter ranges. The U.S. cited Russia’s violation of the treaty with the 9M729 as the reason for withdrawing from the agreement in 2019.