Between April 21 and 23, a series of strikes by unknown kamikaze drones hit russian military equipment in occupied Crimea. Among the confirmed damaged assets were ST-68UM radars, P-18-2 radars, and possibly a Tor air-defense system.
Photos from the scene showed the aftermath of the attack on the ST-68UM radar: one drone struck the vehicle itself, another hit the antenna, likely rendering it irreparable, while a third appears to have crashed nearby without detonating.
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Closer analysis of drone debris from the site reveals some unique structural features:
- Engine located in the front
- Flying wing configuration
- Unusual fuselage shape, distinct from most known UAV designs
These characteristics closely match those of the Ukrainian Rubaka kamikaze drone, which entered production in 2023.
The Rubaka drone has a declared range of up to 500 kilometers and carries a warhead weighing between 2 and 15 kilograms. Based on the damage observed, it’s likely that the warhead used was in the 2–5 kilogram range.
Originally, the Rubaka was unveiled without an onboard camera, relying instead on pre-programmed GPS coordinates for guidance. However, the latest evidence suggests either the Rubaka is now being used alongside drones equipped with optical-electronic targeting systems — or newer versions of Rubaka have been upgraded with cameras and long-range video transmission capabilities.
Notably, back in 2023, Ukrainian officials indicated that Rubaka drones would be deployed within Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (DIU) units. Interestingly, footage from earlier attacks on russian targets in Crimea, attributed to DIU operations, featured an unidentified low-flying drone that closely resembled Rubaka rather than a traditional reconnaissance UAV like "Furiya".
This would explain the drone’s extremely low flight profile, uncommon for typical reconnaissance drones, but perfect for a strike UAV operating under enemy radar coverage.
Defense Express has to note that this isn’t the first major success story for Ukraine’s long-range kamikaze drones in Crimea. Just last month, another series of attacks destroyed around 20 pieces of russian equipment, including radars, helicopters, Pantsir systems, and even ships.
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