Ukraine’s mysterious "Palyanytsya" is targeting Russian air bases

“Palyanitsya” is a Ukrainian dish, a type of bread traditionally baked over a fire rather than in an oven. It symbolizes Ukrainian identity in the same way that apple pie symbolizes America. It is also difficult for non-natives to pronounce correctly, and was used as a test to identify Russian saboteurs in the early stages of the war.

In the name, the developers emphasized that this is a 100% Ukrainian weapon of local production, which, unlike the ATACMS, Storm Shadow and other missiles supplied by allies, can hit targets inside Russia without restrictions and requests for permission.

A video accompanying Zelensky's statement showed that “Palyanitsya” could reach more than 20 Russian air bases, meaning at least 600 km. That's shorter than some of Ukraine's existing long-range drones, some of which can strike at more than 1,600 km.

Ukraine has a thriving defense sector of small companies that produce a surprising variety of attack drones, but “Palyanitsya” seems to be built for a specific niche. This has sparked various discussions about what constitutes a missile. Ukraine's Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin told the Kyiv Post that the new weapon is "both a drone and a missile." The problem is that there are no clear definitions.

Many of Ukraine’s long-range strikes have focused on oil and gas storage facilities and refineries. When attacking this type of target, a drone flying at 1,600 km/h is as effective as a ballistic missile approaching at Mach 5: the target is stationary and cannot escape. Aircraft bases are different in that, despite some static features such as fuel and ammunition storage, the aircraft themselves can be quickly redeployed when needed.