Russian armed forces have used the Utka-2 kamikaze drone to strike enemy targets in the Dobropillia direction within the special military operation zone.
Drone operators from the 177th Naval Infantry Regiment of the Center group of forces deployed the aircraft to destroy enemy manpower, according to the Russian Ministry of Defence.
The Dobropillia sector in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine represents an active area of operation for Battlegroup Center. Russia's naval infantry units, including the 177th Regiment, frequently deploy specialized unmanned aerial vehicle detachments to carry out targeted strikes and tactical reconnaissance missions.
Utka-2 design and strike capabilities
The Utka-2 is a twin-engine strike unmanned aerial vehicle launched from a catapult system rather than taking off from a traditional runway.
Video footage released by the defence ministry showed military personnel assembling the drone before equipping it with two OFBCH-3 high-explosive fragmentation warheads.
The Ministry of Defence stated that the airplane-like structure of the drone allows it to reach higher speeds than a conventional first-person view quadcopter. The ministry added that the aerodynamic fixed-wing design enables the aircraft to fly with a more powerful payload across greater distances.
High-explosive fragmentation warheads, designated by the abbreviation OFBCH, are engineered to detonate upon impact, scattering high-velocity metal fragments over a wide blast radius to engage infantry and light vehicles. Catapult launch mechanisms allow fixed-wing drones to be deployed rapidly from mobile positions in rough terrain without needing paved airfields.
Tandem attacks with Molniya-2 drones
The operational deployment of the Utka-2 follows earlier developments in drone warfare tactics reported by military authorities in September.
Russian forces previously used the Molniya-2 strike drone to execute a tandem strike operation against target positions. In that mission, the fixed-wing aircraft carried an FPV multirotor copter into the target area, allowing the smaller drone to conduct a repeat attack on the objective.
First-person view drones use mounted video cameras that transmit real-time video feeds directly to operator headsets, enabling precise control during final strike maneuvers. Combining fixed-wing carrier aircraft with smaller multirotor drones allows military operators to extend strike ranges while maintaining terminal guidance precision against fortified positions.
