New Ukrainian development Peklo, labeled a "rocket drone" but in fact a miniature cruise missile, was for the first recorded since the announcement of its creation in late 2024. The video, filmed and published by a local, shows the aftermath of a strike on russian military sites near the occupied Luhansk.
The identification of this long-range weapon was carried out by a Ukrainian military-themed Telegram community, drawing attention to a drone's fragment with a small jet engine and V-shaped tail fin captured in the footage.
Read more: U.S. Develops Low-Cost Drone Missile Inspired by Ukraine, Matching ATACMS Range
The first recorded footage of the result of the strike by domestic kamikaze jet drones "Peklo" on a Russian military facility in the Luhansk region. pic.twitter.com/xXH8TZHeGT— MAKS 25 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) June 26, 2025
According to russians, who apparently misidentified the weapons as the Liutyi UAV, multiple Ukrainian Peklos destroyed a crossing over the Aidar River north of Luhansk and a pumping station on the bank.
For a reminder, when officially presented in December 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said Peklo was already being used for strikes on russia, without details. Therefore, this case only represents the first instance confirmed by independent evidence. Moreover, it may indicate that Peklo attacks scale up.
The thing is, in order for this confirmation to come to light, a whole number of factors must have aligned simultaneously: the effective strike itself, the presence of a fragment large enough to allow its identification, the fact someone was there to record the video, post on the web and reach the Ukrainian media channels. All these coincidences are usually the mark of quantity.
Per declared specifications, the Peklo missile/drone can cover up to 700 km at speeds reaching 700 km/h. The parameters of the warhead were not specified, however, the visible damage to the building indicates that it has sufficient firepower to successfully attack such structures. The mention of a damaged river crossing also speaks of its accuracy.
In general, this product's design reflects a pragmatic approach in all aspects, with matured structural solutions and technological feasibility. In particular, the technology employed for making the drone's body is tailored towards industrial-scale production. All redundancies were discarded, for example, the wing cannot fold, or the engine was placed on top of the fuselage, etc.
Simplicity as the top priority of long-range weapon design is becoming increasingly popular. Even in the United States, a cheap drone missile is being created following in Ukraine's footsteps, though its range is only comparable to that of an ATACMS.
Read more: UK to Produce Ukrainian UAVs for the War Against russia
