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It is, however, unknown if the modfications actually work as intentet.
War drives innovation – and the soon-to-be four year long war in Ukraine has proven that once again.
Developments in both tacticts, drone warfare, new weaponry and the likes have helped Ukraine fight back against the Russian invasion, dealin significant blows to both the Russian military and the Russian economy.
But the Russians are trying to innovate as well, and now a modified version of the Shahed long-range drone has emerged after an attack on Ukraine.
First signs appear
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian electronic and radio warfare specialist Serhiy “Flash” Beskrestnov said images and video published on January 4 showed a Shahed drone fitted with a man-portable air defense system.
According to Beskrestnov, Russian forces used the altered drones for the first time overnight from January 3 to 4, marking a new step in how the aircraft are employed.
The footage indicates the drone was carrying what appears to be a Verba MANPADS, mounted on top of the airframe, with an added antenna fixed to the wing stabilizer for remote control.
A new role
Beskrestnov reported that the drone was also equipped with a camera and a radio modem, allowing an operator to guide it in flight rather than relying solely on pre-programmed routes.
The missile system is positioned to fire forward, suggesting the drone is intended to engage Ukrainian fighter jets or helicopters operating within the country’s air defense network.
When launched from the ground, Verba systems have an operational range of about six kilometers and can reach targets up to roughly 4.5 kilometers in altitude.
Race to adapt
Russia has repeatedly modified Shahed drones during the war, aiming to increase their effectiveness and to hunt mobile elements of Ukraine’s air defenses on land and in the air.
Both sides have been locked in an offense-defense race since 2022, as Moscow has intensified long-range strikes and Kyiv has responded with new countermeasures.
Ukrainian forces, for their part, have developed interceptor drones designed to shoot down incoming Russian drones, a factor that could limit the effectiveness of the front-facing missile setup.
Sources: Institute for the Study of War
