Iranian Mohajer-6 drone crashes on Russian territory for first time

An Iranian-made Mohajer-6 drone has crashed on the territory of the Russian Federation. Although the Russians have had these machines since 2022, there have never been reports of their crashing on the aggressor's territory before.

The Russian army has been using Iranian drones since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine. The most frequently seen in the skies over Ukraine are Shahed-136s, which regularly attack defender positions. These are not the only Iranian constructions that the Russians use for bombardments. The aggressor's army arsenal also includes, among others, Mohajer-6 drones, and one of them has, for the first time, fallen on Russian territory.

Various types of ammunition constantly fall on the territory of the Russian Federation. In May, Russians accidentally dropped at least two bombs on their own country. Earlier, due to a malfunction, Russian Kh-35 missiles, as well as Kalibr rockets, fell on Russian territory.

The mentioned Mohajer-6 drone is, however, a rarity, with documented destruction appearing only twice from the beginning of the war in Ukraine. In the first instance, it was shot down by Ukrainians, and in the second incident, the Iranian drone was shot down in Crimea, most likely due to friendly fire.

The Mohajer-6 found in the Kursk region bordering Ukraine is the third confirmed destruction of this machine and, at the same time, the first to have occurred on Russian territory and been documented on video. The video was quickly removed, but copies started appearing online.

Defense Express notes that the drone that crashed in Russia was armed with Ghaem-5 bombs, which—according to Iranian sources—have a range of 12 to 19 kilometres (depending on launch height). However, it is possible that an enhanced type of Ghaem-5 missile capable of reaching targets up to 40 kilometres away was found under the wings of the crashed Mohajer-6.

This drone, produced in 2018, is about 8 metres long and has a wingspan of approximately 10 metres. It is, therefore, a relatively large drone that can carry a payload weighing up to 150 kilogrammes. It is powered by a 4-stroke internal combustion engine (either an Austrian Rotax 914 or an Iranian HESA), which propels the construction to a maximum speed of 200 kilometres per hour (cruising speed is 130 kilometres per hour).

The Mohajer-6's operational range is around 2,400 kilometres, while its communication range with the ground station, operated by a two-person crew, is 500 kilometres. The drone can climb to an altitude of 7,600 metres and perform flights for 12 hours.

Although the Mohajer-6 is a relatively new model, Iran introduced another version of this drone in 2023. Engineers at Qods are already working on the new Mohajer-10, which will be able to carry payloads weighing 300 kilogrammes over a distance of 1,900 kilometres.