Mysterious new drone weapon used in Russian attack on Ukraine
The Russian Federation Army regularly shells Ukraine using kamikaze drones. However, in one of the latest attacks, the aggressor used a mysterious weapon not previously encountered in the war in Ukraine.
In the attack carried out on July 20, the Ukrainian armed forces shot down 13 out of 16 Shaheds, according to a report by the Ukrainian Air Force Command. Additionally, mobile fire groups managed to defend against an attack by one drone that could not be identified. After examining the downed aircraft, Ukrainians determined that it was an unmanned aerial vehicle not previously seen in combat.
Mysterious Russian weapon
The Russian kamikaze drone reportedly flew at a very low altitude, around 20 to 30 metres. Although its design has some features of other weapons in the Russian arsenal, it is different from the weaponry identified by Ukrainians until now. For this reason, in official reports, the defenders describe the mysterious drone launched towards Ukraine by the Russians as an "unknown type" aircraft.
According to the Defence Express portal, the unidentified aircraft visually significantly differs from the popular Shahed-136 drones, which were also used in Saturday's attack. What is also important is that the mysterious weapon flew at an unusually low altitude. It was approximately 30 metres, indicating that the unknown aircraft was a kamikaze drone.
This is an important finding, especially considering the similarity to the Zala 421-20 aircraft. This tool is intended for reconnaissance from a higher altitude, so it typically does not fly at such a low altitude. Although photos obtained by Defence Express journalists suggest the mysterious UAV is similar to the 421-20, it still has many differences that suggest the Russians used a completely different and previously unknown piece of equipment in Ukraine.
A drone the Ukrainians haven't seen before
According to sources cited by the mentioned portal, the unidentified aircraft reportedly has a wingspan exceeding 4 metres. The fuselage profile, on the other hand, is square. At the same time, no technical parameters of the mysterious equipment are known. It is unknown what range it reaches, what speed it develops, and how much payload it can carry.
Defence Express emphasizes that Ukrainians are already investigating the downed UAV. Such objects are a valuable source of information for them — they allow them to determine how significant the threat from the use of unknown enemy weapons may be. Additionally, they are substantial in developing tools that enable effective combat.
