Russia deploys new Molniya-1 drone in first Kharkiv strike

The Molniya-1 combat drone targeted Kharkiv for the first time on Tuesday, 12th November. This information was provided by Dmytro Chubenko, spokesperson for the district prosecutor's office in Kharkiv, as cited by Unian.

"For the first time in Kharkiv, a combat drone, a loitering munition called Molniya-1, was used. Its size is somewhere between a home drone, like a Mavic, and a Shahed. It has a wingspan of 1.2 metres and weighs approximately 10 kilograms," explained Chubenko. It's important to note that the Molniya-1 can carry ammunition weighing up to 5 kilograms. The drone can be equipped with both cumulative shells and fragmentation-explosive warheads.

Experts examined the drone and determined that the Molniya-1 is a new design, only "a few years old," and Russia has only recently begun deploying it on Ukrainian territory. "It's a small drone. Compared to the Shahed itself, it is several times smaller. It carries ammunition that cannot fulfil any military tasks of the Russian Federation, such as destroying a building or significantly damaging a fortified object. It's a tactic to terrorize the local population," Chubenko said.

The use of this drone is something of a confirmation of the words of aviation expert Anatoliy Khrapchynski, who noted that the Russian Federation has been economising in the war recently and prefers using small drones instead of expensive cruise missiles.

Given that the Molniya-1 is a new design and has thus far rarely appeared in Ukraine – and was used for the first time in Kharkiv – the exact parameters of this weapon are not known. However, reports suggest that it is a relatively simple design that uses an electric motor for propulsion and a battery likely with a capacity of 7500 mAh. The craft is also equipped with a camera, enabling a successful strike.