Russian forces have been increasingly deploying “unspecified” drone models in their attacks against Ukraine, alongside the more commonly used Shahed drones. According to Colonel Yurii Ihnat, Acting Head of Communications for the Ukrainian Air Force Command, the identification of these drones can only be confirmed after specialists examine wreckage on the ground.

Speaking with Ukrainian media, Ihnat commented on the air battle on the night of October 4-5, when 10 drones disappeared from radar, raising suspicion that they may have been of different, unspecified types. While Shahed drones have been widely used since 2022, they are often neutralised by Ukrainian electronic warfare systems.

The addition of new drone models could complicate Ukraine’s air defence efforts, as these drones are only identifiable once they crash or are examined after being lost from radar.

Russia has increasingly turned to these cheaper, domestically-produced drones in recent months, following a reported shift from importing Shahed drones from Iran to producing them locally. This change follows a report by the UK Ministry of Defence in August 2023 confirming Russia’s domestic production of Shahed-type drones.

In addition to Shaheds, Russia has also begun using drones made of plywood and plastic foam to act as decoys, aiding in identifying Ukrainian air defence systems. These drones, some equipped with cameras and Ukrainian SIM cards to send footage back to Russia, are designed to locate mobile defence groups and machine guns. Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson Andrii Cherniak highlighted their increasing use to expose air defence locations and film damage caused by Russian strikes.

Ukrainian officials have also identified the use of Gerbera drones, which are produced in three versions: electronic reconnaissance, kamikaze or decoy drones. These low-cost UAVs are reportedly of poor production quality, with some crashing due to technical failures.

The growing use of different drone models highlights Russia’s strategy to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defences, with cheaper drones helping to tip the scales in the battle of cost asymmetry.

Ihnat also called on civilians to report any suspicious objects resembling drones, urging them to avoid taking direct action and instead contact law enforcement or military authorities.

Post Image – A Russian wooden drone recovered in the Sumy region of Ukraine (Post Image Credit: BLITZ Aircraft Unmanned).