Munitions

9M729

Also known as
  • SSC-8
  • SSC-X-8
  • Novator 9M729
  • 9M729 Screwdriver
  • SSC-8 Screwdriver

The 9M729 is a Russian NPO Novator ground-launched cruise missile known to NATO as the SSC-8. CSIS lists it as a 2,500 km-range system, NATO identifies it as mobile and nuclear-capable, and Ukrainian officials have linked Russian 9M729 firings to long-range strikes in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.

9M729, Ground-launched cruise missile, Munitions
Image source: /images/weapons/9m729-schematic.svg

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Russia
Built by
NPO Novator
Type
Ground-launched cruise missile
Service note
Modern Russian long-range strike missile
Designer
NPO Novator
Designed
Reported development began in the mid-2000s, with early testing reported from 2008 onward
Number built
CSIS cites reporting that fewer than 100 SSC-8 missiles had been produced as of December 2018.
Developed from
9M728 / R-500 Iskander-K cruise missile family

Specifications

Class
Ground-launched cruise missile (GLCM)
Range
CSIS lists 2,500 km; Russia has disputed Western range claims and presented a shorter official figure.
Warhead
Single 450 kg warhead; NATO describes the system as nuclear-capable.
Dimensions
Approximately 6-8 m long and 0.514 m in diameter, according to CSIS.
Launch platform
Road-mobile TEL associated with Iskander-K or a closely related Iskander-like launcher.
Guidance
CSIS cites a guidance system associated with GosNIPP; Russia described improved guidance over the 9M728.
Designation And Treaty Context

The 9M729 is both a munition and an arms-control reference point: it is a road-mobile Russian ground-launched cruise missile tied to the Iskander-K family, but its assessed range drove the INF Treaty dispute that ended in 2019.

DesignationContextWhy it matters
9M729Russian missile designationIdentifies the munition reported in Ukraine.
SSC-8 / SSC-X-8NATO reporting name and earlier experimental formConnects treaty, NATO, and U.S. reporting to the same missile.
9M728 R-500 cruise missile, Ground-launched land-attack cruise missile, Munitions9M728 / R-500Related Iskander-K cruise missileServes as the shorter-range family comparison point.
9K720 Iskander, Road-mobile tactical ballistic and cruise missile system, Artillery9K720 IskanderRoad-mobile launch architectureProvides the launcher-family context for Iskander-K cruise missiles.

Sources: 9M729 (SSC-8); NATO and the INF Treaty; RUSI Iskander-M and Iskander-K technical profile; CSIS 9K720 Iskander SS-26.

Variants

The 9M729 sits in the Novator ground-launched cruise missile family associated with Iskander-K launchers; NATO reporting names distinguish it from the shorter-range 9M728.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
9M728 R-500 cruise missile, Ground-launched land-attack cruise missile, Munitions9M728 R-500 cruise missileEarlier Iskander-K cruise missile

CSIS and RUSI describe 9M728/R-500 as the related Iskander-K cruise missile family member that predates the 9M729 dispute.

Sources: 9M729 (SSC-8), RUSI Iskander-M and Iskander-K technical profile

9M727Related Iskander-K cruise missile

RUSI describes 9M727 as a related Iskander-K cruise missile, possibly an earlier version of 9M728, with public distinctions between those designations still limited.

Sources: RUSI Iskander-M and Iskander-K technical profile

SSC-8 / SSC-X-8NATO reporting name

CSIS records SSC-X-8 as the experimental designation before the missile was treated as an operational SSC-8 system.

Sources: 9M729 (SSC-8)

Launch System

The 9M729 is a ground-launched cruise missile associated with Russia's road-mobile Iskander-K launch architecture.

LauncherLauncher typeLaunch evidence
9K720 Iskander, Road-mobile tactical ballistic and cruise missile system, Artillery9K720 IskanderRoad-mobile missile launcher family

CSIS connects the 9M729 to the Iskander TEL and support-vehicle family, while specialist reporting and the 2019 Russian presentation place the missile in the Iskander-K launcher context.

Sources: 9M729 (SSC-8), CSIS 9K720 Iskander SS-26, Russian MoD 9M729 presentation video

Timeline

9M729 Key Events

  1. U.S. INF violation finding

    The United States publicly reported a Russian ground-launched cruise missile treaty violation before the 9M729 designation was widely identified.

  2. Deployment reported

    U.S. officials reported that Russia had deployed SSC-8 missile battalions, moving the system from testing into operational concern.

  3. Russian presentation

    Russia publicly displayed 9M729 launch canisters and argued the missile remained INF-compliant despite NATO and U.S. objections.

  4. INF Treaty ends

    The United States withdrew from the INF Treaty with NATO support after continued disagreement over Russia's SSC-8/9M729 compliance.

  5. Ukraine confirms combat use

    Ukrainian officials told Reuters that Russia had fired 9M729 missiles against Ukraine, including repeated launches from August 2025.

  6. Additional firings reported

    Reuters-linked reporting cited at least four more Russian 9M729 firings at Ukraine and debris with 9M729 markings in western regions.

Media

9M729 Videos

Related Weapon Systems
3M22 Tsirkon, Hypersonic anti-ship and land-attack missile, MunitionsMunitions3M22 TsirkonHypersonic anti-ship and land-attack missileThe 3M22 Tsirkon, also rendered Zircon, is a Russian hypersonic missile associated with the 3K22 shipborne missile complex and NATO reporting name SS-N-33. Open sources attribute design and production to Reutov-based NPO Mashinostroyenia within Tactical Missiles Corporation, with documented Project 22350 and Yasen-family launch reporting, broader 3S-14/UKSK compatibility claims, and thinner public reporting on Bastion coastal-launcher integration. Russia used the missile in strikes on Kyiv during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War, with reporting expanding from fragment-based 2024 evidence to larger 2026 salvos, while its advertised speed, range, warhead, guidance, and even flight-profile details remain shaped by Russian claims, fragment analysis, and secondary estimates rather than fully transparent public test data.

Sources

9M729 (SSC-8)Publisher: CSIS Missile Threat | Note: Supports 9M729 background, NPO Novator manufacturer context, range, dimensions, warhead, guidance, Iskander-K relationship, and INF background context. | Accessed: 2026-06-30NATO and the INF TreatyPublisher: NATO | Note: Supports background on NATO's 9M729/SSC-8 assessment, including mobility, nuclear-capable status, treaty context, and 2019 INF timeline. | Accessed: 2026-06-30CSIS 9K720 Iskander SS-26Publisher: CSIS Missile Threat | Note: Supports the Iskander launcher-family relationship, common TEL and support-vehicle context, and 9M728/R-500 comparison point for the broader Iskander missile family. | Accessed: 2026-06-30RUSI Iskander-M and Iskander-K technical profilePublisher: Royal United Services Institute | Note: Supports 9M728/R-500 and 9M727 designation context, Iskander-K cruise-missile family distinctions, and launcher-family background. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Russian MoD 9M729 presentation videoPublisher: Russian Ministry of Defence | Note: Supports the public 2019 Russian Ministry of Defence presentation of 9M729 launch canisters and Iskander-M/Iskander-K context. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Kyiv confirms use of Russia's INF-banned 9M729 missile in strikes on UkrainePublisher: Ukrinform | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War use by reporting Ukrainian confirmation that Russia fired 9M729 missiles against Ukraine, including two 2022 launches and 23 launches since August 2025. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Ukraine images suggest Russia used missile that led US to leave nuclear pactPublisher: The Jerusalem Post | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War use by reporting Reuters-linked Ukrainian law-enforcement evidence, marked 9M729 fragments in western Ukraine, and additional February 2026 Russian firings. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Russia's Treaty-Busting Screwdriver Cruise Missile Used Against UkrainePublisher: TWZ | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War use by reporting Ukrainian and Reuters claims about Russian 9M729 launches, while also supporting launcher, 9M728 comparison, and operational-context background. | Accessed: 2026-06-30