Peklo Kamikaze Drones Enter Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Arsenal

Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) has received domestically produced Peklo drones.

Associated Press photojournalist Efrem Lukatsky published the photo on his Facebook page.

The images show equipment for five drones of this type, as well as the An-196 Lyutyi long-range strike UAV.

The Peklo drone is basically a small cruise missile. With a jet-powered engine, it can reach speeds of up to 700 km/h and a range of up to 700 km.

Ukrainian defense concern Ukroboronprom presented the system in December 2024, announcing delivery of the first batch of several dozen units to the Defense Forces.

The missile’s navigation and targeting rely on a standard configuration using an autonomous inertial system with GPS satellite correction.

According to developers, the production cost of the new missile is lower than that of the Ukrainian Lyutyi kamikaze drone, which was priced at up to $200,000 in early 2024.

In June 2025, Russian sources published the first evidence of the combat use of the Peklo system.

Russian forces reported an attack on the Aidar River crossing and the destruction of a nearby pumping station.

They incorrectly identified the system as a Lyutyi, as fragments of the tail section with a jet-powered engine mounted on it indicate that the footage captured the Peklo drone.

The strikes caused unspecified damage to the pumping station building and, according to Russian claims, completely destroyed the crossing.

Given that the warhead is estimated at 30-50 kg, the target was likely a light pontoon crossing rather than a reinforced concrete structure.