Ukrainian Engineers Replicate Russian Molniya Kamikaze Drone

Ukrainian engineers have successfully reverse-engineered the Russian Molniya kamikaze drone and presented their own version, named Blyskavka (Lightning).

Ostanniy Kapitalist (The Last Capitalist) channel launched a fundraising campaign for these drones.

The Blyskavka drone boasts an impressive maximum flight range of 40 kilometers and can reach altitudes of up to 2,000 meters. It is capable of carrying a payload of up to 8 kilograms.

The fundraising goal is $300,000 for 350 drones. This suggests an approximate cost of $857 per unit.

It is likely that this amount also includes the cost of control systems and launchers, which are supplied along with the drones.

In terms of design, the Ukrainian Blyskavka drone closely replicates the structure and dimensions of the Molniya drone: a wooden center wing, no fuselage, two tubes serving as load-bearing elements, a front-mounted engine, and a battery installed above the center wing.

The specifications are also similar: the first-generation Russian Molniya UAV can carry a warhead weighing up to 7 kilograms and has an estimated flight range of approximately 30-35 kilometers.