Ukraine identifies unfamiliar Russian gasoline-powered drone

Ukrainian defense specialists have identified an unfamiliar Russian aircraft powered by gasoline. It resembles Russia’s Lancet loitering munition, but uses a combustion engine instead of the Lancet’s electric motor.

Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on defense technologies, said the drone had been spotted at the front. He said its name, manufacturer and specifications had emerged, but declined to release them until they are confirmed. The aircraft’s purpose is also unclear from available photographs, which show red stars on its wings.

Its flight duration, operational range and payload capacity have not been disclosed, so it cannot yet be compared with existing Russian unmanned aircraft. A gasoline engine could support longer missions depending on fuel use and design, but the available information does not establish how far or how long this drone can fly.

The report also describes broader drone production by both countries. Ukraine says locally made systems account for 95% of unmanned aerial vehicles procured for its armed forces. Satellite imagery showed the Alabuga zone in Tatarstan growing by 340 hectares in a year. Ukraine’s military intelligence says Russia produces about 3,000 Geran-4 and Geran-5 drones per month. Bloomberg reported plans for more than 7 million FPV drones, while Beskrestnov estimates Russia’s annual strike-drone capacity at 36,000 to 40,000 units.