Ukrainian operators from the Rarog 427th Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment continue to demonstrate exceptional effectiveness in detecting and destroying russian Italmas kamikaze drones, one of the newest and increasingly used strike UAVs in russia's arsenal. Their work significantly reduces the enemy's ability to deploy these systems for frontline attacks and deep strikes.
The Italmas drone is a simplified and cost-reduced derivative of the Shahed-136 drone, widely used by russia since 2022. In technical communities, the Italmas system is often described as a hybrid between the Shahed and the Lancet drones, combining elements of a long-range loitering munition with certain features of russia's tactical strike drones. This makes it a versatile, inexpensive, and expendable weapon suited for massed attacks.
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Russia employs the Italmas UAVs primarily to strike multiple-launch rocket systems, artillery positions, vehicles, and logistics infrastructure. By targeting high-value assets with relatively cheap drones, russia seeks to impose sustained pressure on Ukrainian frontline operations and degrade critical capabilities.
A particularly concerning aspect of the Italmas system deployment is its role in "swarm" tactics. Russia often launches large numbers of these drones simultaneously to overload and exhaust Ukrainian air defense units, forcing defenders to expend valuable missiles or ammunition. This tactic mirrors earlier Shahed saturation attacks but at a lower cost and higher production scale.
In addition to military targets, the Italmas drones are also used for terror strikes against civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities and residential areas. Their simplified construction allows russia to produce them rapidly, compensating for battlefield losses and enabling persistent harassment of Ukrainian rear areas.
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