Moscow is the new target! Ukrainian volunteers are developing a larger, more powerful version of the Trembita missile

Ukrainian volunteers are developing a larger, more powerful version of the "Trembita" missile that can reach Moscow, The Economist reported back in December. Now, David Axe, in an article for the British Telegraph, writes about the new missile and points out the importance of the project, especially now that the Trump administration is expected to significantly reduce or completely stop aid to Ukraine. Ukrainian media published the article by Axe with the title "There are many of them: Ukraine is preparing to hit Moscow with its own missiles".

The first designs of the "Trembita" missile, named after a Ukrainian alpine horn, were presented in 2023. The basic "Trembita" missile, developed by Ukrainian engineers, has one main quality - it is significantly cheaper than Western or Russian missiles and works like the V1 bombs used by Germany during World War II.

The exact timing for completing the production of the updated version of the missile is still unclear. Meanwhile, developers have spent a year and a half creating the basic design of the weapon, which usually takes several years, The Economist reports, adding that serial production will follow final field tests.

Amid concerns that the new US administration will reduce military aid to Ukraine, the Ukrainians are rushing to acquire their own weapons. One of the most promising is the "Trembita" missile, writes David Axe for the Telegraph.

"Ukraine's new "Trembita" cruise missile could be the greatest symbol of its quest for autonomous firepower. In anticipation of the day when American ammunition runs out, Ukraine is preparing to develop "Trembita" and other long-range, deep-damage munitions. "There are many of them," the article states.

About two meters long and weighing 90 kilograms, the "Trembita" is launched from a ramp. It has a simple impulse jet engine, a tubular fuselage and a square wing. This simplicity gives the "Trembita" its best feature - its low price, the publication notes.

At a price of about $10,000 (18,680 leva) per unit, the Trembita can carry 18 kg of explosives over a distance of up to 144 km. However, the developer of this missile is now working on a more powerful version, capable of covering 650 km and guaranteed to reach Moscow.

This version, which should be ready in about a year, will undoubtedly cost more than $ 10,000, but it will still be potentially the cheapest deep-strike munition in the world. For comparison, the ATACMS missile, which can fly a maximum distance of 300 km, costs more than $ 1 million.

The author of the publication notes that Ukraine can put thousands of Trembits into service even without external budgetary assistance.

"This scale matters. In order to respond to the massive Russian bombing of Ukrainian cities, bases, power plants and factories, Ukraine must massively increase its own bombing of Russian cities, bases, refineries and factories. The small number of ATACMS and Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG cruise missiles that Ukraine has received from the US, UK and France is insufficient for an intensive deep strike campaign,“ the newspaper notes.

The “Trembit“ barrage may work well against the Russian military-industrial complex, but it certainly won't be very effective against the underground command bunkers that the Ukrainians are hitting with British Storm Shadow missiles.

“By relying more on their own weapons, the Ukrainians may have to resort to a different set of targets. But at least they will be able to continue to impress. (...) The Ukrainians know that a day will come when they will be left, if not alone, then rather alone. They are preparing for it,“ concludes David Axe.