Manufacturer of the Ruta missile to launch joint venture with Rheinmetall. How Destinus is connected to Ukraine?

European company Destinus, which supplies the Ukrainian Armed Forces with the Ruta missile-drone, is set to launch a joint venture with the German defence giant Rheinmetall. The project, named Rheinmetall Destinus Strike Systems, is expected to become operational in the second half of 2026.

Destinus is not only a supplier of defence technologies to Ukraine; the company also has Ukrainian investors and manufacturing facilities in the country. Defender Media outlines what is known about the joint venture with Rheinmetall and the “Ukrainian footprint” in Destinus’ history.

What is known about the joint venture

Rheinmetall Destinus Strike Systems will produce advanced missile systems, including cruise and ballistic missiles. Rheinmetall will hold a 51 per cent stake, with Destinus holding 49 per cent. The company will target the European and NATO markets.

The joint venture will use Rheinmetall’s manufacturing capacity alongside Destinus’s technology and product design. Rheinmetall adds that local enterprises may be brought in for key markets.

German defence giant Rheinmetall is one of Europe’s largest military manufacturers. It produces military equipment, including the Lynx IFV and Skynex air defence system, as well as weapons, ammunition, and more.

The company’s current market capitalisation stands at $79.96bn. In 2024, it also opened its first joint armoured-vehicle repair and production facility in Ukraine, in partnership with Ukroboronprom.

How Destinus is connected to Ukraine

Destinus was founded in 2021 by Mykhailo Kokorich, a Russian-born entrepreneur who left Russia following the start of the full-scale invasion and renounced his Russian citizenship. According to Kokorich, the decision was driven by his fundamental opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Destinus co-founder and president is also Ukrainian: Oleksandr Danylyuk, former Minister of Finance of Ukraine from 2016 to 2018. Under President Zelensky, he served for several months as Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council.

The company manufactures more than 2,000 cruise missiles annually and also produces drones. Since 2023, Destinus has been supplying Ukraine with its systems, including the Ruta missile-drone. In 2024, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the successful testing. In early 2026, Destinus unveiled a new version, Ruta Block2, capable of carrying a 250 kg payload with a range of up to 450 km.

Destinus is currently headquartered in the Netherlands, with production facilities in Germany and Spain. In 2024, Kokorich stated that the company also operates assembly workshops in Ukraine. This localisation enabled the delivery of hundreds of drones, which were imported as components and assembled locally.

In October 2025, Destinus signed a major agreement with French defence company Thales to mass-produce autonomous loitering munitions and counter-UAV solutions. French media reported plans to establish several production sites across Europe, including a manufacturing line in Ukraine.

Another link between Destinus and Ukraine is the investment from TA Ventures, the venture capital fund founded by Victoria Tigipko. On 9 February 2022, the company raised $29 million, with approximately $1 million coming from TA Ventures and members of the ICLUB investor community, according to Forbes.

Beyond the Ruta system, Destinus’ product portfolio also includes:

• Kryla – an air-to-ground cruise missile;
• Lord – a long-range drone;
• Hornet – an interceptor drone currently being tested by the French Army.