A mobile air defence vehicle fitted with the Katran target designation system was spotted guarding Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit to Vladivostok.
Footage of the specialized pickup truck in the presidential motorcade was first identified and reported by the military-focused Telegram channel Voyenny Osvedomitel.
Military expert Vadim Mingalev told Russian news website Lenta.ru that the pickup-mounted system provides unparalleled counter-drone protection and has no equivalent anywhere in the world.
Mingalev said the multi-role complex integrates multiple detection and destruction mechanisms into a single unit designed to deliver a powerful response against small uncrewed aerial vehicles during drone raids.
Vladivostok, a major port city in the Russian Far East located near the borders with China and North Korea, frequently hosts presidential visits and international economic forums, requiring complex multi-layered security operations across air, sea and land routes.
Detection capabilities and interceptor drones
The Katran system utilizes centimetre-waveband radar technology capable of detecting agile, low-observable aerial targets with a radar cross-section of less than 0.01 square metres at distances of up to 80 kilometres.
Mingalev said that no executive security detail or world leader currently relies on air defence tracking systems with comparable precision.
The complex incorporates an optical target acquisition module alongside precise coordinate transmission capabilities to monitor and track incoming threats in real time.
To neutralize incoming threats, the vehicle deploys specialised interceptor drones known as Martyshka, or Monkey, designed to engage aircraft before they reach their target area.
Centimetre-waveband radar systems operate at shorter wavelengths, allowing air defence platforms to resolve tiny objects like commercial and tactical micro-drones that typically escape conventional long-range radar systems.
Close-range weaponry and automated turrets
For close-range engagement, the Katran platform is armed with a 7.62 mm caliber machine gun and functions alongside the Krechet weapon system.
Mingalev said target interception is executed at ranges between 300 and 500 metres, creating a dense inner defense layer around the motorcade.
The expert added that the engineering behind the system demonstrates that Russian air defence and counter-drone aviation development has reached a world-class level, praising domestic arms manufacturers.
Lenta.ru, an online news outlet based in Moscow that covers national politics and military technology, regularly publishes commentary from defence analysts on new weapons developments.
The appearance of the Katran system in Vladivostok follows previous reports in August regarding Russian counter-drone technology, when Russian Armed Forces troops deployed the Kuryer ground robotic complex.
The Kuryer, or Courier, ground robot was equipped with an automated weapons turret specifically configured to track and destroy uncrewed aerial vehicles in combat environments.
