Ukraine has announced the development of a new long-range weapon that can strike deep into Russia without requiring approval from its allies—a combination of a missile and a drone created domestically. On Monday, the Defense Minister pledged that this new weapon, named “Palianytsia,” would be the “proper response” to a wave of Russian bombings.
The new weapon was developed due to urgent needs, Ukrainian officials said, as Russia has had an advantage in air strikes since the outbreak of the war in February 2022, and Western allies have placed conditions on the use of long-range missiles sent to Ukraine against Russia. On Monday, a number of Russian missiles and drones targeted Ukraine’s electrical infrastructure in the largest such attack in weeks.
“Those fighting to protect lives should not have restrictions on weapon use as long as Russia uses all kinds of its weapons,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Telegram message after the attacks.
Zelenskyy confirmed the existence of the Palianytsia on Saturday, calling it a “new class” of weapon. It was first used on Saturday, the 33rd anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, targeting a Russian military facility in occupied territory, officials said, though they did not provide further details.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov promised on Monday that the weapon would be used again soon in response to the overnight attack in Ukraine.
“Ukraine is preparing to respond with weapons produced by itself,” he said on his Facebook page. “This demonstrates once again that to win, we need long-range weapons and the removal of restrictions on strikes against enemy military targets.”
A video from the Ukrainian military suggested that its range is up to 700 kilometers—similar to advanced missiles sent by the United States.
The United States and other Western allies provide Ukraine with long-range weapons but have stipulated that they must not strike deep into Russia due to concerns about escalating the conflict. Ukraine can use them in border areas, but it aims to strike deeper to target Russian military infrastructure.
Ukraine’s Technology Minister Mykhailo Fedorov told the Associated Press in his first interview about the new weapon that the next step is to increase production.
“I believe this will change the rules of the game because we will be able to hit where Russia does not expect today,” he said.
Fedorov did not provide details about the weapon’s range or the quantity produced, citing security reasons, but mentioned that he has been involved in domestic missile development projects since late 2022.
The new weapon has been a long-term goal for Ukraine. One of the specialists involved in the long-range missile project said it was “a completely new development” that began around 18 months ago.
Ukraine says the inability to counter Russian long-range weapons has deadly consequences. Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, said Russia has launched 9,627 long-range missiles, and Ukrainian defenses have only intercepted a quarter of them, with more than half of Russia’s targets being civilian.
Fedorov said each missile costs less than $1 million, and the military is turning to the private sector to further reduce production costs.
“The private market offers rapid solutions,” said the minister. This year, private companies have become the primary suppliers of drones for the Ukrainian military, including those now striking within Russia and those underwater that have repeatedly targeted the Russian Black Sea fleet, Fedorov said.
“All types of missiles will be available in Ukraine,” he said.
“If we have such weapons, we will feel more independent and secure.” Fedorov added that he believes the vast expanse of Russia could also be its weak point. “It is impossible to produce enough air defense systems for such a large territory,” he said. “For us, this creates the opportunity to operate deep within enemy territory.” /VOA
