Defense firm Destinus has introduced a new cruise missile, Ruta Block 2, that surpasses its predecessor in all key characteristics and is designed for combat against Russian forces.
According to the Defense Express outlet, Destinus showcased the Ruta Block 2 cruise missile, which is radically different from the first version that was categorized as a “drone missile.”
Images of the missile, along with its specifications, were published by Destinus, its developer and manufacturer. The company is currently headquartered in the Netherlands and was founded by Mikhail Kokorich, a Russian-born entrepreneur who fled Russia and renounced his Russian citizenship.
The new missile is equipped with a heavier warhead, has a reported range of over 450 kilometers (280 miles), and features a “multimode guidance using artificial intelligence [AI].”
According to Defense Express, this system can penetrate layered air defense systems even under active electronic interference (EW).
Ruta Block 2 received an improved airframe designed to reduce visibility, as well as a folding wing, allowing the missile to be launched both from a ground-based transport-launch container and from under an aircraft’s wing.
The warhead weighs more than 250 kilograms (552 pounds), while the missile’s nose section is fitted with a thermal-imaging homing head, improving accuracy during the final phase of flight. This approach is used in modern cruise missiles, including the UK-French Storm Shadow/SCALP.
These design choices make Ruta Block 2 effectively a new missile rather than a simple upgrade of the previous model.
“In addition to the increase in the weight of the warhead to quite significant values, in Ruta Block 2 it is worth noting the transition to solutions to increase stealth by changing the shape of the hull,” Defense Express wrote.
Defense Express suggests that the emergence of Ruta Block 2 is likely the result of multiple collaborations between Destinus and several European companies.
In May 2025, it was announced that the missile would integrate a GPS-independent, EW-resistant navigation system from Spain’s UAV Navigation, part of Grupo Oesía.
In November, Destinus also announced plans to integrate the Hivemind combat AI system developed by Shield AI.
It has not yet been announced when Ruta Block 2 will be ready for operational use.
Despite earlier statements that the Ruta missile would be deployed by the Ukrainian military as early as December 2024, publicly available information about the system remains limited.
Ukraine has already used its new Flamingo and Ruta missiles in combat, and additional strikes are planned, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in late October 2025.
“Flamingo was used in combat. Ruta was used in combat. We are doing everything so that this year we can conduct more serious trials – not just one, two, or three. We believe that we will succeed,” he said.
In early December 2024, Zelensky said Ukraine had successfully tested the “Ruta” missile.
The military news outlet Militarnyi reported that the missile had previously been unveiled at the Eurosatory 2024 defense exhibition in Paris as part of Ukraine’s national stand.
According to Destinus, the “Ruta” missile is designed for a wide range of missions, including intelligence gathering, rapid-response surveillance, disaster and emergency response, emergency cargo delivery, target training, and strike operations.
The company says Ruta’s key advantage lies in its combination of relatively low cost, high speed, and meaningful payload capacity, making it suitable for multiple roles.
The missile uses a booster-assisted takeoff, while recovery is achieved via parachutes and disposable airbags. Destinus adds that future versions are expected to include an option for vertical landing.