Ukraine’s New Domestically Produced Rocket Drone Costs Less Than 1 Million Dollars

A new long-range rocket drone named "Palianytsia," which Ukraine has unveiled recently, costs less than one million dollars. The cost is significantly lower than similar weapons, and its development is ongoing.

Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov shared this information in a comment to the Associated Press. “I think this will be a game changer because we will be able to strike where Russia doesn’t expect it today,” he said.

The weapon has a range of up to 700 kilometers, comparable to American ATACMS missiles. Military footage has shown a map indicating that "Palianytsia" can reach at least 20 Russian airfields, including the Russian airbase at Savasleyka.

The development of the long-range rocket drone is a completely new project that Ukraine has been working on for approximately 18 months. Each missile costs less than $1 million, and to reduce production costs, Ukraine has involved the private sector.

The "Palianytsia" will enable strikes on deep rear positions in Russia without the need for approval from Western allies. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umierov has promised that this weapon will serve as a response to recent large-scale Russian missile attacks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the existence of this new weapon during the celebration of Ukraine's 33rd Independence Day. He described it as a "new class" of weapon, and on that day, the first strike on a Russian military target was executed.

The missile was developed out of urgent necessity, as Russia has maintained air dominance since the beginning of the full-scale war in February 2022. Ukraine has faced restrictions on using Western long-range missiles for strikes on Russian territory, but "Palianytsia" was created to overcome these limitations.