Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has celebrated Kyiv’s first strike with its new drone missile Palianytsia.
The long-range weapon, which was developed within 18 months, has around two dozen Russian military airfields within its strike range.
It was used for the first time on Saturday, when “it struck an enemy military facility in the temporarily occupied territory,” Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin said in a Telegram post.
Zelensky wrote on social media the next day: “In the two and a half years of full-scale war, Russia has launched about 10,000 missiles of various types and more than 33,000 glide bombs at Ukraine. Stopping attacks on our cities can be achieved by targeting the carriers of this weaponry—Russian aircraft stationed at military airfields.
“Yesterday, the first successful combat use of our new weapon—the Ukrainian long-range rocket drone Palianytsia—took place. It was designed domestically to destroy the enemy’s offensive potential.
“The number of rocket drones produced will grow just like our long-range strike drone production did, the efficiency of which we see almost daily.”
In the two and a half years of full-scale war, Russia has launched about 10,000 missiles of various types and more than 33,000 glide bombs at Ukraine. Stopping attacks on our cities can be achieved by targeting the carriers of this weaponry—Russian aircraft stationer at military… pic.twitter.com/mzisamRWd8
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 25, 2024
The Ukrainian president also posted a video clip which gave some background on why the weapon was developed.
“One of the most effective ways to counter [Russia’s launch of missiles and glide bombs] is to strike at the carriers of these weapons—Russian aircraft at military airfields,” the narrator says.
“However, allies have not yet permitted Ukraine to do this with their weapons,” he goes on. The state has launched a grant program for private rocket projects invested in state design bureaus and implemented deregulation to stimulate this industry.”
Palianytsia is the first result of this scheme with “almost everything about it classified,” including its operational range, warhead and production information, the video says.
On top of its strike range, the other limited publicly known details include that it is launched from a ground platform and the engine is turbojet.
The Ukrainian government says the cost of the rocket drone is “much lower than that of its counterparts” and “the work on cutting the cost and increasing production is ongoing.”
At the end of the video, the narrator adds: “The mission of Palianytsia is to protect the civilian population by destroying the enemy’s offensive potential. And to do it on the enemy’s territory.”
Earlier this month, Kyiv launched an offensive in the Russian region of Kursk.
AP
Thousands of Russians have been evacuated from Kursk and the surrounding regions.
Last week Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Ukraine’s advances in Kursk have ended “any possibility” of peace negotiations between the two countries, The Associated Press reported.
She said: “Who will negotiate with them after this, after the atrocities, the terror that they are committing against peaceful residents, the civilian population, civilian infrastructure and peaceful facilities.”
It comes as Ukraine celebrated its 33rd Independence Day on Saturday.
Zelensky wrote: “We are confident that Ukrainians will always celebrate this holiday in their free capital and within their own sovereign state.
“Ukraine will always remain independent—this is beyond question. Together, we have given a historic answer through our unity, courage, and collective effort. The answer to whether Ukraine should exist, and whether Ukrainians should exist.”
