Venislavskyi: Ukraine Launched Carrier Rockets Into Space Twice Using Transport Aircraft

Units of the DIU launched carrier rockets from Ukrainian territory into space twice during the full-scale war. Technical equipment recorded altitudes of over 100 and 204 kilometers.

This was reported by Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of parliament and member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine, when answering a question regarding Ukraine’s ability to shoot down Russian Oreshnik missiles.

“This work was carried out under the leadership of Kyrylo Budanov, then head of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, and other DIU leaders. The unit achieved both unique technical results and carried out purely military tasks,” he noted.

The launch of the carrier rocket took place from a transport aircraft at an altitude of about 8,000 meters.

This development makes it possible to create an airborne spaceport for launching satellites or intercepting aerial targets. Launching from an airborne platform increases the flight range, as the rocket takes off above the densest layers of the atmosphere.

“In other words, Ukraine already has the technical capabilities to counter such enemy attack systems (Oreshnik, ed.) and destroy them in space,” the parliamentarian noted.

Venislavskyi also added that the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine is currently continuing its work in this area.