Ukraine's Pelican Weapon Sparks Military Analysis

The use of the Pelican has generated interest among military analysts regarding its classification as either a tactical ballistic missile or a drone. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on Sunday that a large-scale strike on Russia involved the Pelican for the first time. In a post on X, Zelenskyy stated that long-range attacks on Moscow's region had a "very significant impact." He noted that the attack targeted key facilities, including one associated with Russia's oil industry and another logistics facility, resulting in significant financial implications for the war effort. Zelenskyy listed various systems used in the attack, including FP-1, RZ-100, MICH-2000, Palianytsia, Vendetta, Liutyi, Bars, Flamingo, Sichen, and Pelican. The attack coincided with the final day of voting in Russia's parliamentary elections and resulted in at least three fatalities. Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that over 1,600 drones were intercepted, with 450 aimed at the capital. Analysts are particularly interested in the Pelican's classification. At the 34th International Defence Industry Exhibition in Poland, the CEO of Ukrainian defense firm Fire Point mentioned that Ukraine could begin deploying its FP-7 tactical ballistic missile to target Russia within weeks. Iryna Terekh indicated that the FP-7 could strike targets up to 200 km (125 miles) away and carry a warhead weighing up to 150 kg. The FP-7 system is ground-launched with a maximum projectile speed of 1,500 meters per second. Fire Point's founder, Denys Shtilerman, stated earlier this year that the system is less expensive than the US-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS). Zelenskyy also mentioned last month that Ukraine anticipated using its first domestically produced ballistic missile by autumn. While there is currently no official confirmation linking the Pelican to the FP-7, Ukrainian media have suggested a connection. The New Voice of Ukraine reported that Fire Point applied to register the Pelican trademark earlier this year. However, RBC-Ukraine, citing unnamed sources, reported that the Pelican is an aircraft-type drone. Al Jazeera could not independently verify these claims. In February, Ukraine's defense ministry announced that its domestic weapons industry had experienced "unprecedented growth," increasing production capacity by 50-fold to $50 billion. The ministry noted that domestic manufacturers now meet over half of the Defense Forces' needs for weapons and military equipment. On Saturday, Zelenskyy announced that the military counterintelligence unit at the Security Service of Ukraine had developed a new interceptor drone successfully deployed against Iranian-made Shahed drones used by Russia. He expressed gratitude to developers and manufacturers for their efforts to enhance Ukraine's military capabilities. In March, Oleksandr Syrskyi, the former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stated that over 70 percent of Shahed-type attack drones were destroyed using interceptor drones in February. The effectiveness of Ukraine's drone interceptors has also attracted interest from Gulf states facing threats from Iranian drones and missiles. Both Russia and Ukraine have increased attacks on each other's infrastructure, focusing on oil facilities and logistics hubs. Ukraine has targeted warehouses belonging to Russia's Wildberries e-commerce giant since July, aiming to disrupt Moscow's supply chains and impact the Russian economy. On Monday, the Financial Times reported that US President Donald Trump spoke with Zelenskyy, advising him to cease attacks on Russian refineries due to concerns about exacerbating the global diesel shortage and rising fuel prices.