Zelensky celebrates first strike by new Ukrainian Palianytsia rocket drone
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."
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."
