Russia unveils its fearsome kamikaze ‘Flying Kalashnikov’ as it threatens new drone war in Ukraine

RUSSIA has unveiled a new fearsome kamikaze ‘Flying Kalashnikov’ as it threatens a new drone war in Ukraine.

The weapon, which “prowls for hours in the sky,” can act as an aerial minefield and could be used against Kyiv’s new unmanned combat vehicles.

It comes as Turkey supplied Bayraktar TB2 strike drones to Ukraine which are said to be “operational” in the heavily disputed Donbass region.

But Russian state TV responded by boasting to viewers that if war is unleashed in the Ukrainian city, then it had a “top secret” answer in the form of the kamikaze drone made by an offshoot of the gunmaker Kalashnikov.

This unmanned war machine – also dubbed the new ‘Wunderwaffe’ – was reportedly tested by the Russian Spetsnaz in Syria.

It is described to act like an aerial minefield, loitering in the sky above a battlefield for many hours posing “an insurmountable obstacle for enemy drones.”

Putin ally, Dmitry Kiselyov, boasted to state-controlled TV that Russia now “has something that cools the zeal of those who want to fight.”

He said: “Ukraine, for example, has bought Turkish Bayraktar drones.

“But, flying at twice the speed, the Russian Lancet leaves no chance for Bayraktars.”

He added that it is a “high-precision instrument for surgical operations” by Russian Special Forces, which is equipped with 3 kilograms of explosives.

The recent unveiling of the aerial weapon comes as the latest act of war towards its neighbours as tensions continue to escalate over the control of Ukraine.

Over the past few days, it was reported that Vladimir Putin has amassed more than 150,000 troops on the border as chilling satellite images showed thousands of Russian soldiers and armoured vehicles poised to invade from a base in annexed Crimea.

It has signalled the start of a major warship assault which EU foreign affairs high representative Josep Borrell has warned could tip the stand-off into full warfare.

The new ‘Wunderwaffe’

New footage has shown the ‘Flying Kalashnikov’ on a combat mission in Syria, and a graphic highlights it attacking another drone.

The test in Syria was said to be accompanied by a reconnaissance drone that tracked down a pickup truck with militant commanders.

Officials called it the Flying Kalashnikov for its “simplicity, reliability and efficiency.”

They added that its aerial mining capability “is a new word in military tactics – a real 21st century weapon”.

The weapon made by ZALA AERO allegedly does not require any additional ground- or sea-based infrastructure to locate and engage its targets.

Supposedly, it can rely on its own reconnaissance, navigation, and communication modules to carry out “precision strikes” within a 25 mile radius.

“In modern warfare, the drone is capable of striking targets in the air, on land, and water,” said the head of Russia’s Rostec Corporation, Sergey Chemezov.

Alexánder Zakharov, chief designer of ZALA AERO, said “Mine placement can be organised in the air for several dozen hours.”

But a Fighterbomber Telegram channel has disputed the Russian drone’s capabilities arguing it will not pose a challenge to the Bayraktar which was deployed in the recent Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.

They described its capacity for longevity in the sky as “very murky,” – adding that it’s likely to be effective only if on the same altitude as the Bayraktar.

The Bayraktar staged its first reconnaissance mission over Donbass last week.