Russia hopes its Lastochka-M UAVs will soon render Ukraine’s HIMARS systems ineffective.
Lastochka-M attack drones began to be used by the Russian Army to hunt for HIMARS MLRS complexes of the Ukrainian armed forces.
These “small pepper” sized UAVs are, according to the introduction, capable of conducting reconnaissance at long distances, and thanks to the ability to carry two sub-missile shells, the drone can be easily destroyed. destroy even armored vehicles.
Currently, several Russian Lastochka-M drones are being used to search for high-mobile artillery missile complexes M142 HIMARS in service with the Ukrainian armed forces to destroy them.
According to journalists from the publication Svobodnaya Pressa, the use of Lastochka-M drones by the Russian Army to hunt down HIMARS has become a very serious problem for Ukrainian soldiers.
Russia is also deploying its Lastochka-M unmanned aerial vehicle, which is equivalent to Ukraine’s small Punisher UAV, the statement said.
“This is a small aircraft, very similar to Israel’s SkyLark, equipped with two small bombs/missiles the size and destructive power of a grenade. bullet”.
“However, Western countries do not even think about imposing sanctions against Israel, whose drone looks like a Russian UAV, despite suspicions that Tel Aviv has provided weapons gas for Moscow”.
Lastochka was first introduced to the public at the exercise in the West in 2021. The use of an innovative drone in the special operation in Ukraine has yet to be officially confirmed.
Even so, an unmanned vehicle similar to it has been recorded appearing on the battlefield. According to Svobodnaya Pressa, the long operating time (up to several hours) makes the Lastochka-M useful in finding and destroying unarmored HIMARS trucks.
But according to the Ukrainian press, the Lastochka-M UAV weighs only 5.2 kg and has a range of only 45 km. The fastest flight speed of this drone reaches 120 km / h when making attacks on enemy targets.
The Lastochka-M small UAV can carry fragmentation munitions (HE-FRAG) or recessed anti-tank ammunition (HEAT), but because of the lack of weapon guidance, the drone’s effectiveness above is subject to a great deal of doubt.
Currently, Ukraine has obtained an intact Lastochka-M along with a number of other samples of Russian weapons and communications equipment, which will be examined by military experts to find the presence. of components of foreign origin.
“The inspection of the UAV is necessary, to be able to track where the supply chain of components to Russia comes from,” said Damien Spleeters, head of the Organization for the Study of Arms of Conflict (CAR).
If Russia actually assembles the Lastochka-M UAV from foreign components, it probably bought it before the Ukraine war broke out and it is difficult to accuse the manufacturer of having “nighted” with Moscow.
