Millennial woman designing Ukraine's own ballistic missile says it will soon put Moscow in reach

Updated on: September 8, 2026 / 9:13 AM EDT / CBS News

Millennial woman designing Ukraine's own ballistic missile says it will soon put Moscow in reach

TL;DR

  • Iryna Terekh, 34, CEO of Fire Point, one of Ukraine's largest drone makers, previously worked as an architect.
  • Fire Point is developing long-range attack drones and advanced weapons, producing 300-400 drones daily.
  • The company is months away from deploying Ukraine's first domestically designed and manufactured ballistic missile.
  • Fire Point claims its cruise missile achieved a combat strike of over 1,000 miles, the longest on record.
  • Ukrainian defense startups like Fire Point, Sine Engineering, and The Fourth Law are emerging as key innovators.
  • The U.S. military is developing its own drone program inspired by Iranian designs, and a new U.S.-Ukraine defense agreement is expected.
  • Terekh believes Ukraine's low bureaucracy, direct army communication, and reactive companies are key to its defense industry success.