Russian forces have begun using a new type of loitering munition that visually resembles Iranian-made Shahed drones but is smaller and designed for short-range strikes, according to a Ukrainian military expert.
Serhiy Beskrestnov, widely known by his callsign “Serhiy Flesh,” reported that Russian troops have actively deployed these one-way attack drones in recent operations. Beskrestnov shared photographs of one such drone that had been intercepted, noting its striking resemblance to Shahed-type systems.
“These are not Shaheds. They are smaller UAVs that look very similar to Shaheds,” Beskrestnov said. “They are controlled like FPV drones.”
He explained that the new platform appears to have two variants: a reconnaissance model without a warhead and a strike version carrying an explosive payload of up to 15 kilograms.
Earlier social media reports suggested that Russian forces used these drones in an attack on a mobile Ukrainian radar station in the Chernihiv region. At the time, Ukrainian sources mistakenly identified the weapons as Shahed drones.
The discovery of the smaller Shahed-like drones highlights Russia’s efforts to diversify its loitering munition arsenal as it adapts to Ukrainian air defenses and FPV drone tactics. Unlike the long-range Shahed-136, which has been used in large-scale strikes on Ukrainian cities, the smaller drones are likely intended for tactical battlefield use.