Russian Forces Develop Incendiary Ammunition for Drones

Russian drones now carry incendiary ammunition capable of reaching 2,000°C, designed to target enemy fortifications, bunkers, and equipment in Ukraine, military sources said.

The newly developed incendiary munitions, already in use by Russian forces, are being dropped from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to destroy field warehouses, burn through concrete structures, and force infantry out of shelters, according to a report by Izvestia.

“When activated, these munitions can generate heat strong enough to burn through light armor, melt through concrete floors, and set fire to underground shelters,” a military source told the newspaper.

Roman Shkurlatov, chairman of the “Officers of Russia” public organization, said the payloads are particularly effective in disrupting ammunition stockpiles and clearing enemy strongholds. “Fires force the enemy to leave their shelters,” he said, adding that the weapons are also used to ignite forested areas where Ukrainian troops have built fortifications.

The intense heat of the incendiaries is based on active metals, such as magnesium, according to chemical weapons specialist Oleg Zheltonozhko. “This ammunition can burn through aluminum armor, leave deep craters in concrete, and trigger secondary explosions by increasing temperature behind barriers,” he said.

Zheltonozhko noted that traditional fire suppression methods, such as water, are ineffective. “The heat is so localized and concentrated that even buried structures like pillboxes and basements are vulnerable,” he added.

The munitions may also aid Russian ground advances by softening targets ahead of assault operations. “If the charge is fixed in place, it can be used to burn through thick walls or destroy reinforced machine-gun bunkers,” Zheltonozhko said.

Russia’s drone arsenal has evolved rapidly during its campaign in Ukraine. Past innovations include converting the Kornet anti-tank missile into the Kh-UPLA drone munition and arming the Forpost-RU UAV with air-to-surface missiles and targeting systems.

Testing is also underway for deploying Vikhr-M supersonic missiles from the Inohodets drone platform. These missiles have previously been used by Mi-28NM and Ka-52 helicopters.

In December, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov announced the formation of a dedicated Unmanned Systems Troops branch. He said Russia operates over 3,500 drones daily, a figure expected to rise.

The Rubicon Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies, formed last year, continues to train operators and develop new UAV capabilities. Its work includes training combat-experienced instructors and integrating robotic systems into frontline units.