Russia using new, cheap drones to locate Ukraine's air defense, military intelligence says.

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Russia is now launching a new type of cheaply-made drone to identify air defense systems and act as decoys, Andrii Cherniak, a spokesperson of Ukraine's military intelligence, told Reuters in an interview published on July 26. Russia has launched thousands of cheap but effective Shahed-type drones against Ukraine since the fall of 2022. First used on the battlefield, they are now typically deployed to target energy infrastructure and cities far from the front line, such as Kyiv.

According to Cherniak, Russia is now using not only Shahed-type drones but also a new type of drone made of plywood and plastic foam in long-range attacks against Ukraine. The new drones can reveal the location of air defense systems and film damage, with one type able to carry a camera and Ukrainian sim card to send footage back to Russia. "They identify where our mobile groups are positioned, where the machine guns are that can destroy them," Cherniak told Reuters.

Russian forces are trying "to get a picture of where all our air defenses are located," he added. The drones have been used in five attacks in July, including an overnight strike on July 25-26, Cherniak said. Cherniak's comments follow a report by the Ukrainian Air Force on July 20 that a new unidentified drone had targeted Kyiv overnight.

Images of the downed drone circulating on social media indicate that the new weapon does not resemble a Shahed-type drone. The drone was reportedly flying at a low altitude of 20-30 meters. The news outlet Defense Express obtained additional photographs and details about the unidentified drone.

The drone has "a possible wingspan of more than 4 meters, beam plumage, a push rotor, and a square fuselage," Defense Express reported, citing its sources. Images of the drone show some similarities to the Russian ZALA 421-20 reconnaissance drone, but these types are not widespread and no longer appear in ZALA's current catalog, Defense Express reported.

One night with Ukrainian drone hunters near Russia Editor's note: Due to the security protocols of the Ukrainian military, soldiers featured in this story are identified solely by first names and call signs.

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