In Ukraine it is called “the people’s missile”. We owe this invention to a group of engineers based not far from kyiv, proud to be able to present their in-house creation, the Trembita, on their Facebook page and on YouTube. The Guardian describes this device as a “answer” the V1, the first cruise missile in the history of aeronautics, which was used by Nazi Germany between June 1944 and March 1945, notably against the United Kingdom.
With a range of 140 kilometres, the Trembita can carry an explosive charge of up to 25 kilos, simply being powered by fuel as found at the pump. One of its main advantages is its price. Its manufacture costs around 3,000 euros, to which must be added an additional 7,000 euros to equip it with a modern navigation system.
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It is quite simply 100 to 200 times cheaper than the hypersonic cruise missiles available to Russia, the Kh-47M2 Kinjal and the 3M-54 Kalibr, which cost between 1 and 2 million euros each – and that Moscow has already used dozens in attacks against Ukrainian cities, including Kiev.
On site or to take away
Another advantage of the Trembita: it is easily transportable. According to Akym Kleymenov, chief engineer responsible for the project, the trunk of a car does the trick. Once moved and installed, it only needs 30 liters of petrol or diesel to be able to hit a target half an hour away.
Described by The Guardian as the Ukrainian Q, Akym Kleymenov gladly accepts this reference to the specialist in gadgets so useful to James Bond. But his Trembita is nothing like a toy: once past the phase of the tests in the military base, which has not yet been carried out, he hopes that his missiles can be sent in groups of twenty or thirty in the direction of enemy areas.
Akym Kleymenov thought about his project well. These dozens of Trembita to be propelled simultaneously will not all be equipped with explosives, he explains. The objective is also to create an effect “negative psycho-emotional” about the Russian soldiers, whom he hopes will be gripped by the noise of the missiles. About 100 decibels are expected, which is the low end of the hearing pain threshold.
Craftsmanship and determination
The Trembita project is headed by Viktor Romaniuk, a former member of the Rada, the Ukrainian parliament. He appeals for donations to finance the production of missiles and does not hesitate to send his email address in the hope of being contacted by patrons. Eventually, he would like Ukraine to have 1,000 Trembita per month, at a cost he estimates between 300,000 and 550,000 euros.
In the videos available, we see the engineers at work, face uncovered and protective equipment reduced to a minimum, as if they were working on a much smaller or much less dangerous project. It smacks of craftsmanship, and yet the project is oh so serious.
Is this homemade design safe? Engineer Serhiy Birioukov hastens to answer: “For us, yes. For the Russians, no. Determination is key.
Ukraine is betting very seriously on the Trembita, as confirmed by Yuriy Sak, adviser to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense: “We cannot rely on our Western partners forever. […] This is an example of a Ukraine that thinks strategically and puts in place ideas to consolidate its defense bases.”
