Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy celebrated Kyiv’s first attack with its new drone missile Paljanytsia.
The long-range weapon, developed within 18 months, has around two dozen Russian military airports within its attack range.
The weapon was used for the first time on Saturday when “it hit an enemy military facility in the temporarily occupied territory,” Minister for Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin said in a Telegram post.
The next day, Zelensky wrote on social media: “Over the two and a half years of the all-out war, Russia has fired about 10,000 missiles of various types and more than 33,000 glide bombs at Ukraine. Attacks on our cities can be stopped by attacking the carriers of these weapons – Russian aircraft based at military airports.”
“Yesterday saw the first successful combat use of our new weapon – the Ukrainian long-range missile drone Palianytsia. It was developed domestically to destroy the enemy’s attack potential.
“The number of rocket drones produced will grow, as will the production of our long-range drones, whose efficiency we experience almost every day.”
During the two and a half years of the all-out war, Russia has fired about 10,000 missiles of various types and more than 33,000 glide bombs at Ukraine. Attacks on our cities can be stopped by attacking the carriers of these weapons – Russian aircraft stationed at military bases… pic.twitter.com/mzisamRWd8
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володиmir Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) 25 August 2024
The Ukrainian President also released a video clip that provided some background information on the reasons for the development of this weapon.
“One of the most effective ways to counter (Russian missile and glide bomb launches) is to attack the carriers of these weapons – Russian aircraft at military airports,” the narrator says.
“However, so far Ukraine’s allies have not allowed it to do this with their weapons,” he continues. The state has launched a support program for private missile projects in which state design bureaus invest, and introduced deregulation to stimulate this industry.”
Palianytsia is the first result of this plan and “almost everything about it is secret,” including its operational range, warhead and production, the video says.
Other little-known details besides the range include that the missile is launched from a ground platform and has a turbojet engine.
The Ukrainian government says the cost of the rocket drone is “significantly lower than other models” and that “work is underway to reduce costs and increase production.”
At the end of the video, the narrator adds: “The mission of Palianytsia is to protect the civilian population by destroying the enemy’s attack potential. And on enemy territory.”
Earlier this month, Kiev launched an offensive in the Russian region of Kursk.
AP
Thousands of Russians were evacuated from Kursk and the surrounding regions.
Last week, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Ukraine’s advances in Kursk had ended “any possibility” of peace talks between the two countries, The Associated Press reported.
She said: “Who will negotiate with them after all this, after the atrocities, the terror they are committing against peaceful residents, the civilian population, the civilian infrastructure and peaceful facilities?”
This happened as Ukraine celebrated its 33rd Independence Day on Saturday.
Zelensky wrote: “We are convinced that Ukrainians will always celebrate this holiday in their free capital and in their own sovereign state.”
“Ukraine will always remain independent – there is no question about that. Together, through our unity, our courage and our joint efforts, we have given a historic answer. The answer to the question of whether Ukraine should exist and whether there should be Ukrainians.”
