A Russian interceptor drone has successfully shot down a Ukrainian RAM-2X loitering munition in what appears to be the first publicly confirmed interception of this type, Russian military sources reported.
The engagement occurred in Russia’s Kursk region, where the Ukrainian drone was reportedly targeting rear-area positions. Footage and images released on social media show the downed RAM-2X with its distinctive X-shaped wing design.
According to open-source information, the RAM-2X resembles Russia’s Lancet drone in appearance and was developed as a counterpart to the Russian loitering munition. Ukrainian forces have deployed the RAM-2X primarily for strikes on ammunition depots, artillery systems, and radar systems located behind Russian frontlines.
The RAM-2X is equipped with a warhead featuring an explosively formed penetrator (EFP), a type of shaped charge designed to defeat lightly armored targets. Unlike conventional shaped charges that produce a focused jet, the EFP creates a high-velocity metal slug capable of traveling at speeds up to 5 kilometers per second. This allows it to penetrate protective measures such as slat armor or improvised screens often mounted on vehicles.
Exact technical specifications of the RAM-2X remain undisclosed, but some reports suggest the munition has a range of up to 120 kilometers and a maximum speed of around 160 km/h. The system’s design enables Ukrainian forces to engage pre-identified targets at long distances with precision strikes.
Russia has increasingly relied on its own unmanned systems for air defense tasks in regions bordering Ukraine, using interceptor drones to counter the growing threat posed by loitering munitions and kamikaze UAVs.