Ukraine's new Peklo missile drones spotted in action on front lines
Photo: Peklo missile drone in 2024 (t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)
The Ukrainian-made missile drone Peklo (Hell), which was first mentioned in reports of strikes back in December 2024, has now received its first confirmed video evidence of use against Russian forces. The Peklo successfully hit targets near temporarily occupied Luhansk, Defense Express reported.
The outlet analyzed a video recorded by Russian troops at the strike site and published by a Ukrainian specialized channel. The footage showed debris featuring a small jet engine and V-shaped tail fin - characteristics unique to the Peklo drone.
In addition, the missile drones destroyed a river crossing over the Aidar River north of Luhansk, as well as a nearby pumping station. Russian forces mistakenly identified the drones as the An-196 Liutyi, but they were in fact Peklo drones.
The outlet notes that since Peklo was first presented in December 2024, there had been claims that the drone had already been used in strikes against Russian forces. However, no evidence had previously been provided to support those claims.
Now, it can be concluded that the use of Peklo on the front lines has become more or less widespread. This may explain why photo and video confirmation of a strike has finally emerged.
"The point is, for such confirmation to appear, a whole series of factors must align at once - a successful strike, a sizable fragment that allows for identification, the existence of a video that is widely shared and noticed, and, ultimately, its entry into the Ukrainian information space. In practice, such a coincidence is usually the result of scale," the article explains.
Peklo missile drone: What we know
The first mention of the Peklo missile drone appeared in early December 2024. On December 6, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy handed over the first batch of these drones to the Armed Forces. At that time, it was claimed that Peklo had already carried out at least five successful strikes on Russian targets, but no evidence was provided.
Very little is known about the drone itself. It reportedly reaches speeds of up to 700 km/h due to its compact size and jet engine, and it has an operational range of up to 700 kilometers. Other specifications have not been disclosed.
