Ukraine Tests 3,000-Km Long-Range Drone
Ukraine has tested a drone with a range of 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) — enough to strike both Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the development in an address, urging to produce more weapons.
“There is good news regarding long-range drones: our 3,000-kilometer-range drone has successfully passed testing,” Zelensky said.
“I am grateful to the developers and manufacturers. We are advancing a line of long-range capabilities that will help guarantee the security of our state.”
Past Drone Strikes in Russia
No additional details were shared about the weapon. However, Kyiv has deployed long-range drones in the past to strike Russian targets such as airfields and oil refineries.
In December 2024, a Ukrainian drone struck a high-rise apartment building in the Russian city of Kazan, 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the frontier.
Before that, the Security Service of Ukraine executed a drone strike on a Russian refinery in the Russian republic of Bashkortostan, located nearly 1,200 kilometers (746 miles) from the border.
According to a source AFP spoke to, the drone flew about 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) to carry out the mission.
The development comes days after Ukraine announced the combat test of the Long Neptune cruise missile, which has an operational range of 1,000 kilometers (621 miles).
Ceasefire Proposal Rejected: Zelensky
Meanwhile, Russia agreed to temporarily pause attacks on energy facilities in Ukraine following a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump.
Putin, however, conditioned a 30-day US-backed ceasefire proposal on the West halting military and intelligence support for Ukraine.
Reacting to it, Zelensky accused Putin of effectively rejecting the proposal.
“Today, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire,” the Ukrainian president said on Putin’s condition for the ceasefire.
