Russia begins fitting another attack drone model with jet engines
Russia has started installing jet engines on its BM-35 attack drones to boost their speed and complicate interception, according to Ukrainian presidential adviser Serhii Beskrestnov.
Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukraine's president on defence technology development, has reported that Russia is upgrading its BM-35 attack drones by fitting them with jet engines. According to him, this move comes as Ukrainian interceptor drone technology continues to advance — Russia is now installing jet engines not only on Shahed-type drones but also on cheaper, mid-range strike UAVs.
Beskrestnov shared a report from Russian channel NTV showing the jet-powered BM-35 variant along with claimed specifications. According to the Russian broadcast, the upgraded drone can reach speeds above 350 km/h, has a range exceeding 200 km, and carries roughly a 10 kg warhead. Russian military sources claim the higher speed is meant to make the drone harder for Ukrainian interceptors to shoot down.
Control and assembly
The Russian TV segment also claimed that operators can control the BM-35 in FPV mode throughout its flight and that electronic warfare systems supposedly have no effect on it. Russian military sources said the drone's parts are prepared in advance at warehouses, while final assembly, warhead installation, and launch happen directly at the firing position. Units reportedly can launch up to three of these drones at once.
The BM-35 is a Russian fixed-wing attack drone; earlier versions, according to Ukraine's Defence Intelligence, used a Chinese-made two-stroke petrol engine.
Russia had previously upgraded the BM-35 to allow control via Starlink satellite internet, with Beskrestnov reporting the first documented case of this in January, before Ukraine and SpaceX introduced restrictions to block Russian use of Starlink. Beskrestnov also released a map showing which Ukrainian regions are at risk from online-controlled, jet-powered Shahed-type drones.
