Russia’s new low-cost kamikaze drone reportedly used for the first time in Ukraine strike
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On June 30, 2025, Russian forces reportedly employed a new type of low-cost kamikaze drone to strike the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, according to Ukrainian local officials and media sources, including United24Media. While the drone’s exact designation has not been officially confirmed by Russian sources, it has been referred to in some Ukrainian reports as the “Chernika,” though this name remains unofficial. This first documented use comes as Russia continues to supplement large-scale Shahed drone barrages with smaller, domestically produced attack drones, intensifying pressure on Ukraine’s air defenses.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The introduction of the Chernika underscores the evolving nature of Russia’s drone strategy: combining inexpensive, mass-produced platforms with persistent, unpredictable strikes to exhaust Ukrainian defenses (Picture source: United24Media)
According to Ukrainian military sources and open-source observers, the Chernika appears to be part of Russia’s expanding arsenal of cheap, expendable one-way attack drones designed for frontline and near-frontline operations. Initial analysis of debris from the Kharkiv strike suggests a very simple construction, using lightweight foam and composite materials common in commercially available hobby drones. This approach keeps production costs low, reportedly as little as $350 per unit, according to some Ukrainian officials cited by United24Media, and allows for rapid assembly despite sanctions and production bottlenecks.
Ukrainian defense experts have expressed concern that the Chernika’s rudimentary appearance could conceal more advanced features such as improved GPS navigation or basic autopilot capabilities. Such upgrades could make these drones more difficult to jam or intercept, particularly when used in large numbers or in coordinated swarms alongside Shahed drones and cruise missiles. The drone’s size and low radar signature add to the challenge, especially for air defense systems already stretched thin by daily attacks.
Unlike larger Iranian-made Shahed drones, which are typically launched for longer-range saturation strikes, the new Russian-built drones are likely intended for shorter-range tactical attacks from positions close to Ukraine’s border. Their primary targets include lightly protected infrastructure, vehicles, and residential or industrial areas within urban zones like Kharkiv, which has been repeatedly hit by Russian drone and missile attacks since the start of the full-scale invasion.
The reported strike demonstrates how Russia is adapting its drone warfare tactics to sustain constant pressure on Ukrainian rear areas, even when large-scale missile barrages are less frequent. Ukrainian officials have highlighted the urgent need to expand the country’s layered air defense network, including electronic warfare systems, interceptor drones, and more mobile short-range air defense units, to mitigate the threat posed by these increasingly frequent low-cost drone incursions.
The introduction of the Chernika underscores the evolving nature of Russia’s drone strategy: combining inexpensive, mass-produced platforms with persistent, unpredictable strikes to exhaust Ukrainian defenses. As drone warfare becomes more sophisticated and accessible, the risk remains that simple, commercially inspired UAVs can inflict significant disruption and damage when deployed at scale along the heavily contested frontlines of Ukraine’s cities and border regions.
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On June 30, 2025, Russian forces reportedly employed a new type of low-cost kamikaze drone to strike the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, according to Ukrainian local officials and media sources, including United24Media. While the drone’s exact designation has not been officially confirmed by Russian sources, it has been referred to in some Ukrainian reports as the “Chernika,” though this name remains unofficial. This first documented use comes as Russia continues to supplement large-scale Shahed drone barrages with smaller, domestically produced attack drones, intensifying pressure on Ukraine’s air defenses.
The introduction of the Chernika underscores the evolving nature of Russia’s drone strategy: combining inexpensive, mass-produced platforms with persistent, unpredictable strikes to exhaust Ukrainian defenses (Picture source: United24Media)
According to Ukrainian military sources and open-source observers, the Chernika appears to be part of Russia’s expanding arsenal of cheap, expendable one-way attack drones designed for frontline and near-frontline operations. Initial analysis of debris from the Kharkiv strike suggests a very simple construction, using lightweight foam and composite materials common in commercially available hobby drones. This approach keeps production costs low, reportedly as little as $350 per unit, according to some Ukrainian officials cited by United24Media, and allows for rapid assembly despite sanctions and production bottlenecks.
Ukrainian defense experts have expressed concern that the Chernika’s rudimentary appearance could conceal more advanced features such as improved GPS navigation or basic autopilot capabilities. Such upgrades could make these drones more difficult to jam or intercept, particularly when used in large numbers or in coordinated swarms alongside Shahed drones and cruise missiles. The drone’s size and low radar signature add to the challenge, especially for air defense systems already stretched thin by daily attacks.
Unlike larger Iranian-made Shahed drones, which are typically launched for longer-range saturation strikes, the new Russian-built drones are likely intended for shorter-range tactical attacks from positions close to Ukraine’s border. Their primary targets include lightly protected infrastructure, vehicles, and residential or industrial areas within urban zones like Kharkiv, which has been repeatedly hit by Russian drone and missile attacks since the start of the full-scale invasion.
The reported strike demonstrates how Russia is adapting its drone warfare tactics to sustain constant pressure on Ukrainian rear areas, even when large-scale missile barrages are less frequent. Ukrainian officials have highlighted the urgent need to expand the country’s layered air defense network, including electronic warfare systems, interceptor drones, and more mobile short-range air defense units, to mitigate the threat posed by these increasingly frequent low-cost drone incursions.
The introduction of the Chernika underscores the evolving nature of Russia’s drone strategy: combining inexpensive, mass-produced platforms with persistent, unpredictable strikes to exhaust Ukrainian defenses. As drone warfare becomes more sophisticated and accessible, the risk remains that simple, commercially inspired UAVs can inflict significant disruption and damage when deployed at scale along the heavily contested frontlines of Ukraine’s cities and border regions.
