In his New Year's message, Zelensky showcased the launch of the Sapsan rocket for the first time; however, something went awry during the event.

In his New Year’s address, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, showcased for the first time the launch of a missile from the "Sapsan" operational-tactical complex. However, there was a catch. It turned out that the footage purportedly showing the launch of a Ukrainian missile is actually six years old and unrelated to Ukrainian weaponry.

In his greeting, Zelensky discussed the production of Ukrainian missiles and drones, including the manufacturing of one million UAVs within a year. According to him, 30% of everything that was deployed by our military on the battlefield this year was produced in Ukraine.

The President noted that during a visit to one such factory, he asked a young engineer, "How did you manage to achieve so much, how could these people accomplish this?" The young man joked, "Well, they’re not just people, they are missiles."

"And you know, at that moment, I felt ashamed as a citizen that since the 90s, the state had overlooked such individuals among us. I take pride in hearing throughout the year when meeting them: they are happy to be needed by Ukraine. And that Ukraine is once again building its own, its own missiles. For the first time, producing over a million UAVs a year. Forcing the enemy to learn Ukrainian. 'Palyanytsia', 'Peklo', 'Ruta'. Making them tremble at the words 'Neptune' and 'Sapsan'. All of this is our missiles. Ukrainian. 'Hor', 'Vampir', 'Kolibri', 'KAMIK', 'Lyutyi', Heavy Shot, Fire Point. All of this is our drones. Ukrainian. And all of this is our arguments, arguments for a just peace," said Zelensky in his New Year’s address.

During these remarks, the video displayed a launch that was claimed to be of the "Sapsan" missile. This is an operational-tactical complex developed in Ukraine.

Telegram oembed: https://t.me/u_now/149445

However, social media users pointed out that the footage from Zelensky's address, where he speaks about the Ukrainian ballistic missile "Sapsan", was taken from a video of South Korean missile launches that was published six years ago on one of South Korea's military public pages. It stated that the country’s forces were launching Hyunmoo and ATACMS missiles.

What is known about "Sapsan"?

The "Sapsan" self-propelled launcher is a project that has been underway in Ukraine since 2009. The operational-tactical missile complex was developed through the joint efforts of the Yuzhnoye Design Office and Yuzhmash.

Experts note that creating large cruise missiles is a significantly more complex task that requires a long time, substantial funding, and close cooperation between the state and private companies. For success, it is essential to establish precise technical requirements, reliable funding, access to modern components, and integration of developments into the Armed Forces.

One of Ukraine's most successful developments is the Neptune anti-ship missile, which is continually being improved and has already been successfully used to strike ground targets. Work is also ongoing on the ballistic missile, likely "Sapsan", which underwent successful testing this year.

Despite a high level of secrecy, Ukraine's missile program has already demonstrated unexpected solutions. In particular, unique developments such as "Palyanytsia" and "Peklo" have emerged on the battlefield in 2023-2024, posing a genuine challenge to the Russians.