Russian military drone effectiveness boosted by new tactics and equipment

MOSCOW, August 17. /TASS/. The use of the Knyaz Vandal of Novgorod (KVN) fiber-optic FPV drone in conjunction with the Knyaz Veshchy Oleg reconnaissance drone has boosted its effectiveness by 2.5 times, CEO of the Ushkuynik Research and Production Center Alexey Chadayev told TASS.

"New products have emerged that help increase the effectiveness of the Knyaz Vandal. First and foremost, this is the Knyaz Veshchy Oleg reconnaissance drone. It is radio-controlled, has good communication capabilities, and is the most affordable in its class. This drone has already become a favorite among Russian drone operators and is widely used, which means it has a direct impact on the effectiveness of the Knyaz Vandal. "Because when a reconnaissance drone hovers above the Knyaz Vandal and its operator informs the strike drone’s operator where to fly, this makes the strike drone 2.5 times more effective compared to when it is simply on a free hunt," Chadayev stated.

The expert also discussed the combat use of the latest loitering munition, the Knyaz Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, with a range of over 50 km. "Currently, this drone is actively being used to produce an effect similar to the one the enemy achieved with Hornet drones on the Mariupol-Melitopol highway. The Knyaz Vladimir Svyatoslavovich is used precisely for these purposes at comparable ranges. It is still too early to discuss statistics of these operations," Chadayev emphasized.

The Knyaz Vandal fiber-optic FPV drone, developed by the Ushkuynik Research and Production Center, was first used in August 2024, after the Ukrainian armed forces launched an incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region. The drone can withstand electronic warfare and perform various missions.