Ukrainian official: Russia massively deploys low-cost drones on battlefield

Russian forces are increasingly relying on low-cost reconnaissance drones based on the Molniya UAV platform to conduct battlefield surveillance, according to Serhii Beskrestnov, adviser to Ukraine’s Minister of Defence.

The move comes after more expensive Russian drones, including the Orlan-10, ZALA, and Supercam models, were frequently destroyed by Ukrainian air defenses. Each of these higher-end UAVs costs tens of thousands of dollars, prompting Moscow to shift toward cheaper alternatives to maintain continuous intelligence gathering, Caliber.Az reports via Ukrainian media.

Up to 10 Molniya drones appear on the front line daily, Beskrestnov reported via Telegram, citing information from electronic warfare specialists. He described the drones’ standard configuration: a SIYI ZR10 camera, an AI module from SIYI, and a mesh modem operating at 1300–1500 MHz with 2x2 W power output. The only notable variation between units is in the Ethernet switch.

Despite their low cost, the mass deployment of Molniya drones allows Russian forces to sustain reconnaissance operations at minimal expense, offsetting the losses of higher-value UAVs destroyed by Ukraine’s robust air defense systems.

By Sabina Mammadli