- Ukrainian specialists detected a Russian Shahed strike drone fitted with a man-portable air-defense missile system on January 4, according to a Ukrainian radio technology expert.
- The expert said the missile is launched remotely by the drone operator, creating a new risk for Ukrainian aircraft intercepting Shahed drones.
Ukrainian military have found a Russian Shahed-type one-way attack drone equipped with a man-portable air-defense system, marking the first confirmed observation of such a configuration.
Serhii Beskrestnov, known by the call sign “Flash,” said the modified drone was identified on January 4. He reported that Russian forces mounted the portable surface-to-air missile system on the Shahed to counter Ukrainian aviation.
According to Beskrestnov, the Shahed drone was fitted with a camera and a radio modem, and the missile launch is controlled by the drone’s operator from Russian territory.
He issued a direct warning to Ukrainian aviation crews about the new threat. “The Shahed is equipped with a camera and a radio modem. The missile launch is carried out by the Shahed pilot, who controls it from the territory of the Russian Federation. I ask army aviation pilots to take note of the appearance of a new threat. It is necessary to avoid approaching a Shahed on a head-on course and to be more cautious with those standing on the circle,” he wrote.
The detection represents a notable development in the configuration of Russian long-range strike drones used against Ukraine.
The Shahed, an Iranian-designed loitering munition produced and modified in Russia, has been widely used to attack Ukrainian infrastructure and military targets. Until now, the platform has been employed primarily as a one-way attack drone rather than as a carrier for air-defense weapons.
The addition of a man-portable air-defense system introduces a new operational risk for low-flying aircraft and helicopters tasked with intercepting or monitoring incoming drones. Ukrainian forces have relied on a mix of ground-based air defenses, electronic warfare, and aviation assets to counter Shahed attacks, particularly during night operations.
Russian forces have repeatedly adapted Shahed drones with incremental changes, including new guidance components, communications links, and countermeasures. Ukrainian specialists routinely document these modifications as part of efforts to update tactics and defensive procedures.