Virtus Drones Tested in the Zaporizhzhia Region Now Supplied to Ukraine with German Funding

Virtus strike drones, produced by German company Stark Defence and tested in the Zaporizhzhia region, are already being supplied to Ukraine’s Defense Forces with funding from the German government.

The information was revealed in a Spiegel report following the magazine’s journalists’ visit to Ukraine. It was also highlighted by the GAU project (@deaidua), which monitors German military aid.

According to Spiegel, Stark Defence has been supplying Virtus drones to Ukraine for several months. The German federal government funds the production and delivery of the drones.

The number of Virtus drones delivered to Ukraine so far has not been disclosed.

The company has also declined to provide details about the drones’ performance in combat or which Ukrainian units are using them. A planned demonstration flight of the Virtus drone was canceled at the last minute.

Stark Defence explained that the terms of its contracts with the German federal government include strict confidentiality requirements, which prevent the company from disclosing details about the supply and operational use of its unmanned systems.

In February 2026, the German company announced that it would establish a research and development(R&D) center in Ukraine, which would also provide training and support for end users.

The company’s R&D center will include a 2,000 m² facility designed to accommodate more than 200 specialists. The center will focus on research and development, integration, training, and technical support.

The company stated that opening the center in Ukraine would enable daily technological iterations based on real operational data from the battlefield.

Virtus by STARK

The Virtus drone was publicly unveiled in September last year. At that time, it had already undergone combat testing in the hands of Ukrainian Defense Forces personnel.

The drone has an operational range of up to 100 km and a payload capacity of up to 5 kg, which can accommodate various types of munitions. The camera is mounted in the nose section, while the guidance system is based on visual navigation supplemented by a sensor module.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms enable target recognition. The operator can manually confirm the target before the strike. If required, the drone can return to its launch point. Communications are implemented through multiple channels adapted to electronic warfare conditions.