Initial speculation that the 'Pelican' system striking Moscow was a Ukrainian ballistic missile has been corrected by RBC-Ukraine sources, which identify it as a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle.
Earlier today, several Russian news organizations and Telegram channels speculated that the Pelican might be a new Ukrainian ballistic missile, suggesting the strike represented the first use of such a weapon against the Russian capital. Citing sources within the Ukrainian defense establishment, the Ukrainian news agency RBC-Ukraine has since clarified that the Pelican is a fixed-wing drone, rendering the ballistic missile claims premature.
The rapid shift from ballistic missile speculation to drone identification underscores the challenges of real-time weapon classification in modern conflict, particularly when fixed-wing UAVs can mimic ballistic trajectories on radar. The incident also illustrates how quickly unverified technical assessments can spread through Russian media and social media channels before authoritative information becomes available.
https://t.me/AnatoliyAmelin/16809
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