Key developments on Dec. 6:
- Zelensky unveils new Ukrainian new missile-drone — 'Peklo'
- Crimean Bridge closed after reported Ukrainian drone strikes on Kerch
- Ukrainian partisans sabotage railway line linking Moscow to Kursk Oblast, group claims
- Estonian company to test AI-guided anti-drone missiles in Ukraine, CEO says
- Putin replaces Kursk Oblast governor due to management 'chaos' after Ukraine incursion, media reports
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Dec. 6 announced that the first batch of a new missile-drone hybrid called Peklo (Hell) had been delivered to Ukraine's Armed Forces.
In a post on social media, Zelensky did not reveal the number of the supplied weapons but said the aim now was to "scale up production and deployment," adding they already have "proven combat effectiveness."
Long-range domestic weapons are seen as critical to Ukraine’s defense strategy, providing the country's military with an alternative to Western arms whose use is often under restrictions.
While some details of Peklo's capabilities remain undisclosed for security reasons, Zelensky highlighted the weapon as a "fundamentally new type."
The Peklo has a range of 700 kilometers (430 miles) and a speed of 700 km/h (430 mph). During the unveiling, officials reportedly said that the system has already been successfully deployed five times.
The officials also noted that the missiles are cost-effective and rival some Russian cruise missiles in performance.
Ukraine's missile development program has gained momentum since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Dec. 4 that the Palianytsia, a lightweight missile-drone hybrid, has also entered serial production.
These advancements come as Western partners have only recently permitted strikes on Russia’s Kursk Oblast using foreign-made missiles, while attacks deeper into Russian territory remain restricted.
Crimean Bridge closed after reported Ukrainian drone strikes on Kerch
The Crimean Bridge was closed on the morning of Dec. 6 amid reports of Ukrainian drones targeting the area.
According to the pro-Ukrainian Crimean Wind Telegram channel, explosions were heard in the city of Kerch near the "Zaliv" shipyard, and air defense systems were reportedly activated in the Kerch Strait,according to Krym.Realii.
"Vehicular traffic on the Crimean Bridge has been temporarily suspended," the Crimean Bridge: Operational Information Telegram channel said.
Russia's Defense Ministry stated on Dec. 6 that air defense systems shot down one Ukrainian drone over Crimea overnight. The ministry also claimed that Russian Black Sea Fleet naval aviation destroyed two Ukrainian uncrewed boats heading toward Crimea in the Black Sea.
The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims.
Construction on the 19-kilometer-long bridge which links occupied Crimea with the Russian mainland, began after the illegal occupation of the peninsula in 2014, and was completed in 2018.
After becoming a critical supply route for Russian forces after the launch of Moscow's full-scale invasion, it has been attacked by Kyiv's forces on several occasions, and was heavily damaged by Ukrainian strikes in October 2022 and July 2023.
On Sept. 27, reports suggested Russia was strengthening defenses around the Crimean Bridge, including deploying underwater drone traps.
Russian proxy authorities in occupied Crimea regularly shut down traffic on the bridge amid reports of explosions and drone strikes.
The Crimean Bridge is the subject of a dispute between Ukraine and Russia at the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
Speaking there on Sept. 23, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Anton Korynevych, said Russia "wants to take the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait for itself."
"So it has built a great gate at their entrance, to keep international shipping out while allowing small Russian river vessels in," he said, adding: "The bridge is unlawful, and it must come down."
Oleg Sukhov
Ukrainian partisans sabotage railway line linking Moscow to Kursk Oblast, group claims
The Atesh partisan group sabotaged a key railway line linking Russia's Moscow and Kursk oblasts, disrupting Russian supply lines, the group claimed via Telegram on Dec. 6.
An operative burned down a relay cabinet near the village of Chekhov in Moscow Oblast, Atesh said, posting undated video footage of the alleged sabotage.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the group's claims.
The operation aimed to disrupt Russian military logistics, Atesh reported. The targeted railway connected Moscow to Kursk Oblast, which has been partially occupied by Ukrainian forces since August.
"Deliveries of fuel and military equipment intended to supply Russian troops on the front line were delayed," the group said.
Ukraine launched a surprise incursion into Kursk Oblast in early August, seeking leverage against Moscow in future prisoner exchanges and peace negotiations. Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops, including North Korean soldiers, in an effort to take back the border region.
The Atesh movement regularly commits sabotage attacks on Russian territory and in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. The group reported a similar action against a railway in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast on Nov. 16.
Asami Terajima
Estonian company to test AI-guided anti-drone missiles in Ukraine, CEO says
Estonian defense firm Frankenburg Technologies plans to begin testing its innovative anti-drone missiles in Ukraine in 2025, ERR reported on Dec. 6.
The company, recognized as a leading defense technology startup in Europe, has developed missiles designed to intercept Iranian Shahed drones at altitudes of up to two kilometers.
A key feature of the system is its artificial intelligence capability for autonomous targeting.
"The technology is promising, and we will start testing it in Ukraine in the new year," Kusti Salm, CEO of Frankenburg Technologies, told ERR.
Production will begin with a few dozen units per week and is expected to ramp up to hundreds by the third quarter of 2025.
The missile tests aim to confirm the system’s effectiveness under real combat conditions, the company added.
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur emphasized supporting Ukraine's military production capabilities.
Speaking at the Halifax International Security Forum, Pevkur told The Hill that Ukraine can manage its defense effectively if adequately resourced.
"Ukrainians can handle all of this when we deliver everything they need to fight Russia," he said.
The need for anti-drone missiles is underscored by Russia’s surging use of Shahed-type kamikaze drones against Ukraine.
According to Ukraine's Air Force, Moscow deployed 2,576 drones in November, up from 2,023 in October.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in September plans to boost drone production nearly tenfold, signaling continued nightly assaults on Ukraine.
Kateryna Hodunova
Putin replaces Kursk Oblast governor due to management 'chaos' after Ukraine incursion, media reports
Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Kursk Oblast Governor Alexei Smirnov due to management "chaos" following Ukraine's incursion, opposition outlet Verstka reported on Dec. 6, citing sources.
On Dec. 5, Putin appointed State Duma Deputy Alexander Khinshtein as interim governor of the oblast. According to Verstka, the Kremlin began seeking Smirnov's replacement in early November, but only finalized Khinshtein's appointment just a day before the announcement.
Ukraine launched a surprise offensive into Russia's Kursk Oblast on Aug. 6. While Russian forces have since reclaimed about half of the territory seized during the initial attack, the operation has inflicted significant losses on Russia.
During Smirnov's tenure, key issues reportedly included widespread discontent and protests among displaced residents from areas occupied by the Ukrainian army, and clashes with local municipal leaders.
Verstka cited claims that Smirnov's handling of defensive structures along the Ukrainian border contributed to his dismissal, with the fortifications proving ineffective.
Khinshtein, a former journalist and television presenter, has been a member of Russia’s State Duma since 2003, and is affiliated with Putin’s United Russia party.
Russia has ramped up pressure in Kursk Oblast to dislodge Ukrainian troops holding positions there since early August. Reuters reported on Nov. 23 that Ukraine had lost over 40% of territory previously captured during the incursion.
According to Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi last month, Russia had suffered 7,905 soldiers killed, 12,220 injured, and 717 captured over three months of fighting in Kursk Oblast.
