Russia developing deployment scenarios for “Doomsday drone" in case of nuclear strike

Russia has drawn up a series of potential scenarios for using its so-called “Doomsday drone” in the aftermath of nuclear attacks, a senior defence industry official has revealed.

Dmitry Kuzyakin, chief designer at the Centre for Integrated Unmanned Solutions (TsKBR), told the state news agency TASS that the drone is part of a wider monitoring system designed to track environmental contamination following nuclear explosions. The project, known as Khrust, is currently in an advanced stage of development.

“The drone is integrated into a system that monitors pollution levels after nuclear strikes. It is part of the Khrust project. While we cannot disclose specific operational scenarios, work on the project is in full swing,” Kuzyakin said.

He explained that, although most of the global population would not immediately register the occurrence of a nuclear strike, radioactive dust and ash from massive fires at the blast epicentres would soon spread across the planet.

Kuzyakin said that in the hours immediately following a nuclear detonation, radiation levels remain dangerously high, making it critical to evacuate the wounded, set up temporary shelters, and establish evacuation routes. At this stage, he noted, fast and mobile remote sensing systems like the Khrust drone are vital.

While surface radiation can often be removed by washing and safely disposing of contaminated clothing, internal exposure — when radioactive material enters the body — poses a far greater risk to human life. The Khrust drone enables the collection of crucial data on the extent and location of radioactive contamination in the first hours after a strike, eliminating the need to expose human pilots to danger.

The “Doomsday drone” can remain airborne for up to 20 minutes and operates within a range of 500 meters in heavily contaminated areas, extending up to 2 kilometres in less affected zones. It can be deployed directly from armoured and sealed vehicles and remains functional even when in motion.

The system, according to its developers, is intended to provide rapid situational awareness in extreme conditions, offering Russia a new technological capability for post-nuclear response and environmental monitoring.

By Tamilla Hasanova