Cyberfront of war: How Ukraine is hijacking and reusing Russian drones

Ukraine has reportedly mastered techniques to hack Iranian-designed Shahed drones, turning them against Russian and Belarusian targets. 

These kamikaze drones, manufactured under license by Russia and rebranded as Geran-2, have been deployed in large numbers, posing a significant challenge to Ukrainian air defences, Caliber.Az reports, citing British media.

Russia's drone production, based in Yelabuga, Tatarstan, exceeds 6,000 units annually. Russian forces launch between 30 and 80 of these loitering munitions daily, targeting Ukrainian cities. On one record-breaking day, Russia fired 188 Shahed drones and four Iskander-M ballistic missiles at Ukraine. While Ukraine intercepted 90% of the drones, it failed to stop the ballistic missiles.

Ukrainian forces reportedly redirected 95 of these drones toward Russian territory using a technique called “spoofing.” This method manipulates the drones’ satellite-guided navigation systems, altering their trajectories. A source close to Ukrainian military intelligence confirmed that this redirection is intentional. Despite the success, neither Russian nor Belarusian authorities have publicly acknowledged these incidents.

The Shahed-136 drones, with a wingspan of 3.5 meters and a payload of 40–50 kg of explosives, have become a grim feature of Ukrainian airspace. Originally designed for structural damage, newer versions also include fragmentation and thermobaric warheads.

A recently introduced variant, the “Gerber,” lacks explosive payloads but aims to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defences by sheer numbers. These attacks have grown increasingly complex, with erratic drone flight paths sometimes leading them into unexpected airspaces. For example, 43 drones recently crossed into Belarus, prompting multiple fighter jet scrambles by the Russian ally.

In response to these threats, Ukraine is developing the “Sting,” a high-speed, first-person view drone specifically designed to intercept Shahed-136s. Created by the Wild Hornets group, this classified drone is expected to reach speeds of over 100 mph and operate at altitudes up to 10,000 feet, offering an innovative solution to protect Ukrainian cities.

By Tamilla Hasanova