Berlin Prepares to Buy Ukrainian Bars Missiles for Testing

Germany is preparing to purchase Ukrainian-developed Bars missiles for its armed forces for the first time.

According to a Financial Times report cited by European Pravda and Ukrainska Pravda, sources familiar with the plans say the German government will sign an agreement for an initial batch in the coming weeks. The Bundeswehr intends to use these missiles for technical trials in early 2027. If the results are satisfactory, the purchase could expand to several hundred units.

The Bars is a jet-powered missile with a range of up to 1,000 kilometers and a payload capacity of up to 105 kilograms, depending on the modification. While Ukrainians often refer to it as a drone missile, Germany classifies the weapon as a low-cost cruise missile. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described the Bars as one of the weapons used to strike military bases and energy facilities on Russian territory.

Production of the missile has moved to Germany through a joint Ukrainian-German company that operates with a high degree of secrecy. The first batch of German-made missiles, funded by Berlin, was delivered to Ukraine in October. The joint venture will now also produce units for the German military, marking the first known procurement of Ukrainian-developed offensive weaponry for the Bundeswehr's own needs.

Berlin is also planning to buy and test a small batch of Anthem cruise missiles from US startup Covenant. The Anthem costs roughly one-tenth as much as a Tomahawk, which is priced between US$4 million and US$6 million. One source noted that the Bars is even cheaper, but Germany is prepared to purchase both systems. Plans to acquire the Ukrainian Flamingo cruise missile have been postponed for now.

Currently, the German armed forces rely solely on the air-launched Taurus cruise missile, which has a range of about 500 kilometers. Germany's plan to buy the BGM-109 Tomahawk and the Typhon ground-based launcher from Raytheon could be delayed by up to five years. Media reports indicate that the German government expects to spend nearly 12 billion euros on a new arsenal of long-range weapons meant to deter Russia.

Denmark recently announced a billion-dollar deal to buy high-precision long-range missiles for the first time in its history. This move aligns with a wider European effort to build up long-range strike capabilities to strengthen deterrence against Moscow.