Skinned Russian kamikaze drones reveal new Russian and Western components. Russia would have launched the production of models inspired by the Iranian Shahed-136.
Russia has reportedly started producing copies of Iran’s Shahed-136 suicide bomber drone. In a report published on August 10, 2023 by the research group Conflict Armament Research, experts dissect a device and reveal components produced in Russia. Researchers traveled to Kyiv in late July and inspected the wreckage of two attack drones used in fighting in southeastern Ukraine. The devices resemble Iranian models, but contain electronic modules previously recovered from Russian surveillance drones.
The report also states that the materials used and their fuselage differ greatly from those produced in Iran. Drones are made with cheap materials like fiberglass over layers deposited on woven carbon. By using Russian Kometa guidance systems, the Russian military has simplified the internal electronics needed to fly and guide drones.
A myriad of Chinese and American components
Note that almost all of the components are produced outside of Russia. The country continues to massively source its supplies through the black market and China. Most of the electronics are a mix of different American, Swiss and Chinese modules.
The Russians have started renaming Iranian drones Geran 2, dropping the original name Shahed-136. Moscow has bought more than 1,700 drones from Iran, according to Ukrainian intelligence. Last June, Washington warned that Russia was finally going to build a suicide drone factory after Iranian experts passed through the territory.
Most of these suicide drones are used to harass populations in large cities. These devices have caused many civilian deaths.
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