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Inside the Specs of Ukraine’s Long-Range Drone-Missiles That Struck Novorossiysk
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Following the historic coordinated strike on Russia’s naval base in Novorossiysk, technical details have emerged regarding the long-range drone-missiles deployed in the operation, RBC-Ukraine reported on August 13.
The overnight strike on August 12 damaged four Russian warships—including the frigates Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen—along with an S-300 air defense radar, port infrastructure, and an oil depot entrance, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The operation forced local authorities to declare a state of emergency in Novorossiysk and temporarily close two major grain terminals at the port.
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The strike marked the first time Ukrainian forces operated multiple hybrid missile classes in tandem, combining Palianytsia , Peklo , Bars , and Long Neptune systems alongside naval and aerial drones.
Classified as an intermediate weapon between suicide attack drones and conventional cruise missiles, these ground-launched systems allow Ukraine to strike high-value targets deep behind enemy lines, according to RBC-Ukraine.
Palianytsia
The Palianytsia is a 320-kilogram drone-missile measuring 3.5 meters in length with a 1.7-meter wingspan, carrying a warhead payload of up to 100 kilograms. Powered by a single-spool turbojet engine and launched using a solid-fuel booster, it reaches cruising speeds of up to 900 kilometers per hour.
It operates at low altitudes between 15 and 500 meters. The weapon features a combined INS/GPS guidance system and has an operational range of 650 kilometers.
Developed in just 1.5 years, the system was designed to bypass Western weapons restrictions by independently targeting up to 20 Russian airfields. The ground-launched missile costs well below $1 million per unit and made its successful combat debut in August 2024 during a complex operation against a Russian military target in occupied Crimea.
Peklo
The Peklo represents a newer iteration of Ukraine’s hybrid arsenal. Developed from scratch within a single year and first delivered to military units in December 2024, the Peklo flies at speeds of up to 700 kilometers per hour with an extended range of 700 kilometers.
The weapon quickly entered mass production, with 100 units manufactured in just three months following its introduction. Built using 70% locally sourced components, Peklo is strategically designed to force Moscow to relocate its combat aviation further from the front lines by threatening distant air bases.
In contrast, Russia’s conceptual equivalent—the S8000 Banderol cruise missile manufactured by Kronstadt—faces distinct operational limitations, aviation expert Kostiantyn Kryvolap told RBC-Ukraine.
The Russian system features a smaller warhead capacity, costs roughly three times as much as a standard Shahed drone, and requires an aircraft for launch, restricting its potential for mass deployment compared to Ukraine’s ground-launched fleet.
This strike campaign coincides with wider efforts to dismantle Russian maritime logistics in the region. Between August 1 and 8, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces struck 12 additional Russian vessels in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov. The strikes brought the total number of Russian vessels targeted since the launch of Operation “MoLoChKa” in early July to 218, further disrupting military supply routes and shadow fleet operations across both seas.
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-c43158eeb8145f2aa04250e28b449d03.jpg "Robert Shageyev, former captain of the only submarine of the Ukrainain Navy, which defected to Russia during the Crimea annexation in 2014.")
