Molniya is a strike drone of aircraft type, launched with a special catapult and operated by an FPV-drone principle. It has a range of up to 40 km and can carry a payload of up to 5 kg, significantly smaller than the Shahed drones. The operator manages flight and targeting.
Russian forces use these drones to attack civilian infrastructure in frontline cities and regions, HUR noted. In November, an attack targeted a high-rise building and shopping center in the Saltivskyi district of Kharkiv, injuring several people.
Previously, such drones were used by Russian forces without payloads to create additional strain on Ukraine’s air defense system, according to intelligence officials.
Most of the Molniya drone’s electronic components, including motors, flight controllers, and cameras, are marked by Chinese manufacturers. HUR reports that the markings indicate parts from companies like FATJAY, SpeedyBee, Caddx, Huayi Microelectronics, Trex Technologies, and others. The design of this drone is relatively simple, and its components are low-cost.
Chinese flight controllers used in Russian weapons, including drones, operate on microcontrollers marked by Swiss company STMicroelectronics, which has manufacturing facilities in nine countries. Engine control systems use converters marked by U.S. manufacturer Vishay and capacitors from Japanese company Rubycon.
The Phoenix reconnaissance drone, which Russia markets as a modernized version of the Orlan-10, contains components marked by manufacturers from the U.S., Switzerland, China, the Netherlands, and Taiwan. The majority of parts (seven) are marked by the same Swiss company, STMicroelectronics.
Earlier, HUR reported on foreign components found in Russian drones, including the Gerbera and Parodiya.