Ukraine has been catapulting drones to strike Russia’s million-dollar air defenses deep behind battle strains

[ad_1] Ukraine's GUR has launched a video of a fixed-wing drone being catapulted into motion close to Crimea.

It mentioned its particular forces used UJ-26 Bober drones to strike at faraway Russian defenses.

The $110,000 fixed-wing drones seem like outfitted with thermal cameras and FPV controls.

Ukraine's intelligence directorate (GUR) has launched footage of Kyiv's UJ-26 "Bober" drone being launched by way of catapult to assault Russian air defenses.

The video, printed on Tuesday, exhibits the domestically manufactured 8-foot-long loitering munition being slung into the air from a hard and fast ramp. GUR mentioned its particular forces launched the drones to assault targets in Russian-occupied Crimea.

The brand new launch methodology permits the fixed-wing Bober to enter fight with out touchdown gear, which might probably enhance its vary or maneuverability. Historically, the Bobers take off from airstrips like conventional plane.

On condition that the ramp would probably should be arrange in Ukrainian-held territory west of the Dnieper River, the drone must journey a minimal of roughly 60 miles to succeed in Russian targets in Crimea.

The drones additionally appear to be outfitted with thermal cameras in a number of first-person view clips uploaded by the protection intelligence company.

One montage seems to point out a drone evading a missile after which flying right into a $15 million Pantsir S-1 level air protection system. A second drone can be proven flying into the bottom subsequent to a Pantsir S-1 because the automobile crew scrambles for canopy.

GUR described the assault because the "profitable defeat" of the Pantsir, however didn't present footage of the outcomes.

The intelligence company additionally mentioned it performed related profitable assaults on three Russian radar techniques — The Niobium-SV, the Pechora-3, and the Provotnik GE — in addition to a fourth-generation Su-30 fighter.

It uploaded a number of first-person view clips of drones approaching these techniques with thermal cameras, although lots of them can solely be seen flying near their goal.

Enterprise Insider couldn't independently confirm the harm brought on.

Ukrainian media frequently describe the Niobium-SV as a $100 million system. Earlier Russian estimates from earlier than the full-scale invasion indicated that the Kremlin was buying the Niobium-SV in 2016 for about $40 million per unit. Nonetheless, these could have since been fitted with dearer upgrades.

In the meantime, one Bober, which interprets to "beaver" in Ukrainian, reportedly prices round $110,000 to fabricate. The propeller drone is supposed for long-range assaults and is understood to hold the KZ-6 cost, a 6.6-pound demolition explosive designed to interrupt by way of concrete or armor.

It is one more instance of how the struggle has more and more featured cheaper techniques getting used to assault and, at occasions, destroy costly high-end tools, posing troublesome questions for the normal protection procurement mannequin that closely prioritized superior know-how.

For instance, one in all Ukraine's largest neighborhood drone funds, run by activist Serhii Sternenko, reported to donors that its crowdfunded drones have broken no less than 11 Buk surface-to-air missile techniques in 2025. The fund typically publishes footage of such strikes.

Relying on whether or not they have the newest upgrades, these defenses can value Russia between $10 and $100 million every. By comparability, Sternenko's fund mentioned it receives roughly $6 million in donations a month for its total funds.