For months, Ukraine has begged its allies for permission to strike Russian territory with Western-supplied long-range missiles, but has been mostly rebuffed.
Now, Kyiv says it has its own weapon that’s just as good.
The Palianytsia was created by Ukraine’s burgeoning defence industry to finally provide “answers” to waves of Russian bombings and missile strikes, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov promised Monday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called it “a new class” of weapon, and released a video suggesting it can strike hundreds of kilometres inside Russia.Those comments came after Russian missiles and drones targeted Ukraine’s electrical infrastructure in the largest such attack in weeks. A second barrage on Tuesday killed at least five people.“Ukraine is preparing its response. Weapons of its own production,” Umerov wrote on his Facebook page. “This once again proves that for victory, we need long-range capabilities and the lifting of restrictions on strikes on the enemy’s military facilities.”
Zelenskyy confirmed the existence of the Palianytsia on Saturday, which marked Ukraine’s 33rd anniversary of independence from the former Soviet Union. Saturday also saw the first use of the new weapon, targeting a Russian military installation in the occupied territory, officials said without providing details.
The Ukrainian president referred to the strike as a successful “test” of the weapon at a news conference Tuesday. He added the new capability, along with Ukraine’s successful incursion into Russia’s Kursk region nearly a month ago, will put Kyiv in a strong position to end the war through dialogue.“The main point of this plan is to force Russia to end the war. And I want that very much — (that it would be) fair for Ukraine,” he told reporters.