Ukrainian intel finds Western, Chinese components in Russian strike UAVs

The press service of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine reported the information.

The Molniya is a fixed-wing strike UAV launched from a special catapult and guided to its target by an operator, similar to an FPV drone. The drone has a flight range of up to 40 km and a warhead weighing up to 5 kg, which is 10 times lighter than the warhead of the Shahed drone.

According to reports, in addition to targeting military objectives, Russia uses Molniya drones to terrorize civilian populations in cities and areas near the front lines. 

For instance, in November this year, such an attack targeted a residential building and a shopping center in the Saltivskyi district of Kharkiv, injuring several people. According to intelligence data, since the UAV is controlled and directed by an operator, civilian infrastructure was intentionally targeted.

Previously, Russia also deployed similar UAVs without warheads to overload Ukrainian air defense systems.

The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine added that the Molniya has a relatively simple design and inexpensive components, mostly of Chinese origin. The markings on its electric motor, flight controller, camera, and most electronic components correspond to Chinese manufacturers such as FATJAY, SpeedyBee, Caddx, Huayi Microelectronics, Trex Technologies, and others.

"However, Chinese flight controllers, like many other boards in various Russian weapons, operate on microcontrollers marked as being produced by the Swiss manufacturer STMicroelectronics. Additionally, the motor control board contains converters marked with the American manufacturer Vishay and capacitors from the Japanese company Rubycon," the experts noted.

Moreover, another reconnaissance UAV, Phoenix, described by its Russian developer as an "evolution of the Orlan-10," includes components marked by manufacturers from five countries – the United States, Switzerland, China, the Netherlands, and Taiwan.

The majority – seven components – are marked as produced by STMicroelectronics, which is headquartered in Switzerland and operates production facilities in nine countries across three continents.

• Earlier, foreign-made components of KN-23/KN-24 ballistic missiles, which North Korea handed over to Russia for the war against Ukraine, were found to be made in 2023.