Ukrainian Air Defense Shoots Down New Type of Russian Attack Drone

Ukrainian air defense units in the Kyiv region intercepted and destroyed a new type of Russian attack drone during a missile attack on July 20.

The incident was documented with photographs released on the War_home Telegram channel.

The drone, unlike previously seen Russian models, features a distinct aerodynamic design. Photographs indicate that it has a standard aerodynamic scheme with a twin tail boom, though there is a possibility it may follow a canard aerodynamic scheme due to the limited details available. The drone is powered by a two-stroke internal combustion engine sourced from the Chinese company DLE and includes a Russian Kometa antenna. The nose of the drone houses a compartment for a payload, which could potentially be an explosive or other type of charge.

The manufacturer of this new drone model remains unidentified. However, Western media have reported that in 2024, Russia began joint research with China on developing a low-cost attack drone. This new model may have been employed by Russian forces for combat testing purposes. Additionally, reports suggest that Russia also conducted similar tests with a new Chinese-made Mugin drone.