Ukraine's second president (1994–2005) and former CEO of Pivdenmash, Leonid Kuchma, holds a hopeful outlook for Ukraine's missile industry, convinced that it can make a decisive contribution to Ukraine's success in the ongoing war.

"The Ukrainian missile industry is my destiny, my pride, my pain, and my hope. I believe it has a great future. And it's now not only about my own Pivdenmash or Pivdenne Design Bureau, but also a host of other manufacturers whose developments are either known [like the Neptune missile], or still classified as they remain a planned surprise for our enemies," Kuchma said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

Reflecting on Russia's "hybrid war" that began 15 years ago, Kuchma advocated for the revival of Ukraine's missile industry, urging strategic investment in Pivdenne Design Bureau and Pivdenmash.

"These entities are capable of providing what Ukraine critically needed. I'm convinced that if by 2022 we had developed our own medium-range ballistic missile capable of reaching Moscow, it would have served as a non-nuclear deterrent to Russia and prevented Putin's aggression," he said.

He further noted that how Ukraine's missile production is organized, and whether it includes a space component, will depend on various war-related factors.

"For as long as this war lasts, missile production will remain a top target for Russian attacks… but the contribution of missile manufacturing to our victory could be so impactful that all security efforts to protect these facilities are strategically justified," Kuchma said.