Russian-founded firm arms Europe with long-range missile

Europe is bolstering its strategic strike capabilities with the introduction of the Ruta Block 3 cruise missile, a development spearheaded by Dutch defense firm Destinus. This new weapon boasts a 2,000-kilometer range, surpassing the performance of the U.S. Tomahawk missile, and is being offered at a significantly lower cost. Destinus aims to provide Europe and Ukraine with a mass-produced, affordable deep-strike capability, lessening dependence on the United States.

The company was founded by Mikhail Kokorich, a former Russian entrepreneur who left Russia years ago and officially renounced his citizenship in January 2024. Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kokorich pivoted his company, previously focused on hypersonic hydrogen aircraft, towards the defense industry. Destinus has already supplied thousands of long-range drones and Ruta Block 1 mini-cruise missiles to Ukraine and European governments.

Russia has reacted strongly to Kokorich's endeavors. In October 2025, the FSB opened a criminal case against him and other members of the "Anti-War Committee of Russia" for alleged "violent seizure of power" and "organization of a terrorist community." In April, Russia officially declared Destinus a military target, an acknowledgment of the company's growing role in enhancing Ukraine's deep-strike capabilities and Europe's defense industrial base.

Kokorich emphasized the strategic importance of this development, stating, "Long-range striking is one of the biggest sovereign capability gaps in European defense today." His industrial philosophy challenges traditional Western missile programs, ushering in what he describes as a "new era of defense" where the focus is on the capacity for such strikes, not just the existence of precision weapons.

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Long-range striking is one of the biggest sovereign capability gaps in European defense today.