Peklo to Palyanytsia: Ukraine’s expanded long-range arsenal is changing the war

By 2026, the Defense Forces of Ukraine already had at their disposal several types of long-range cruise missiles and so-called missile-drones — ranging from the Long Neptune and Flamingo to the Palyanytsia, Peklo, Bars, and the European-designed Ruta. This year, their use has only intensified. Russia’s Defense Ministry, for example, has claimed that it intercepted more than 90 Flamingo missiles during the summer months alone. The line between a missile and a drone has also become increasingly blurred. Some jet-powered systems are officially classified as unmanned aerial vehicles, while even a large cruise missile may still be described by its developer as a drone. The weapons themselves vary significantly in range, warhead weight, speed, guidance methods, and cost. That diversity allows Ukraine to combine different characteristics by using several systems in a single attack. However, efforts to increase production have been constrained by shortages of turbojet engines, limited funding, and lengthy and costly certification procedures on the European side. The United States and the UK are also developing new, relatively inexpensive cruise missiles for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, though the timing and scale of deliveries remain unclear.