Iranian Arash-2 Kamikaze Drone Crashes in Kazakhstan, but Russian Media Blames Ukraine

An Iranian-made Arash-2 kamikaze drone has crashed in Kazakhstan, with Russian media outlets claiming that it was launched by Ukraine.

SHOT, a Russian media outlet known for pro-government messaging, published a photo of the wreckage, describing it as a British Banshee Jet 80 drone allegedly used by the Ukrainian military.

The incident occurred in the Karakiya district of the Mangystau region, in a remote area far from populated settlements.

Local authorities reported no casualties or property damage as a result of the crash.

According to its manufacturer, the Arash-2 drone has a range of up to 2,000 kilometers. Analysts say it could have flown across Turkmenistan or the Caspian Sea before entering Kazakh airspace. The crash was likely caused by a failure in its navigation system.

While the Arash-2 and the Banshee Jet 80 share some external similarities, there are significant differences.

The most notable is the engine type: the Arash-2 uses a piston engine, while the Banshee Jet 80 is powered by two jet engines. This difference also influences structural design.

For example, the Banshee’s main wing is positioned closer to the engine and tail, while the Arash-2 has its wing mounted farther forward.

Other distinctions include the drones’ overall size, keel shape, and the presence — or absence — of air intakes on the upper fuselage.

The Arash-2 lacks the prominent air intakes found on jet-powered aircraft and has a differently shaped tail fin.

Russian drones crashes in Kazakhstan

This is not the first time Russian media has misattributed drone crashes in Kazakhstan.

On February 19, a Russian Orlan-10 reconnaissance drone was found near oil infrastructure in Kazakhstan. The drone was discovered near a facility of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, a Russian-Kazakh joint venture.

Russian media initially claimed the drone was a French-made SAGEM Crecerelle, in an apparent attempt to obscure its origin.

On March 19, another incident occurred when a Russian Geran-2 (Shahed-136) loitering munition with the tail number Ы18358 crashed in Kazakhstan.