The Economist: Ukraine unveils low-cost Trembita missiles to defy Russian defences PHOTO

In a bold effort to bolster Ukraine’s missile capabilities, a group of volunteer engineers has successfully developed the Trembita, a low-cost missile designed to evade Russian defences and strike targets with precision.

Named after the Ukrainian alpine horn, the missile features a pulsejet engine—reminiscent of the technology used in Germany's V-1 bomb in 1944, Caliber.Az reports via The Economist.

The Trembita flies at 400 km/h and has a range of 200 km, with a larger version in development to reach Moscow.

Serhiy Biryukov, the head of the Trembita project, explained the missile’s tactical advantage, saying, “We might miss our target, but we’ll fly the thing so low above Russian trenches they will shit themselves.”

Despite its rough-and-ready design, the missile’s guidance system and warhead are housed in a sleek grey casing. A decoy variant starts at just $3,000, while a fully armed missile costs about $15,000—significantly cheaper than Western equivalents.

The development of the Trembita is part of Ukraine's broader missile program aimed at reducing dependence on foreign military aid, especially as the war with Russia drags on. While Ukraine currently relies on missiles like the American ATACMS and British/French Storm Shadow for long-range strikes, the country is working to develop its own arsenal to overcome Russia’s missile dominance. "2025 will be the year of the Ukrainian cruise missile," predicted Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s vice prime minister.

Ukraine’s missile industry has a storied history dating back to the Soviet era, when the country was a leader in space and rocket technology. However, this innovation came to a halt after the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, which saw Ukraine give up its nuclear missiles in exchange for security assurances that ultimately proved empty. Now, with the war ongoing, the country is attempting to rebuild its missile capabilities from scratch.

Russia has relentlessly targeted Ukraine’s missile production facilities, with recent attacks causing significant damage. In December 2023, Russian cruise missiles struck the plant producing Neptune missiles in Kyiv, and in November 2024, the Pivdenmash plant in Dnipro was targeted. Despite these setbacks, Ukraine’s missile engineers are determined to continue their work in secret, with assembly moving to underground bunkers to avoid detection.

However, finance remains a significant challenge. The Ukrainian government supports missile production that demonstrates flight capabilities but only offers a modest 25% profit margin. As a result, private developers often risk their own capital to bring projects to life.

Despite these hurdles, the country is optimistic, with Fedorov asserting, “Everything that is given freedom in Ukraine flies.” The Trembita team is confident their rockets will keep flying, regardless of the political pressures ahead.

By Aghakazim Guliyev