On 17 February, a video reportedly from Ukraine's Sumy Oblast confirmed a new tactic on front lines: the Russians have begun dropping FPV drones from Shahed-type strike UAVs. This means a multiplication of the threat: one carrier drone delivers several FPVs deep into Ukraine’s air defense, followed by launches against targets, says Serhii Beskrestnov, adviser to the Minister of Defense.
Carrier + swarm: how the new attack scheme works
FPV drones give the Russians real-time control with minimal latency (~10–50 ms)—effectively an operator-presence effect. Some platforms can reach speeds of up to ~150 km/h, making interception more difficult.
A separate risk is fiber-optic–linked FPVs, which are not suppressed by electronic warfare (EW) and therefore break through standard countermeasures.
Two FPVs on one Shahed: new risks for air-defense crews
Beskrestnov reported that video confirmation was obtained for the first time, showing FPVs carried specifically on Shahed drones, and that one carrier platform can carry two FPVs.
He urged anti-drone crews and air-defense units to factor in the new threat profile: when intercepting a Shahed, crews should expect a secondary threat in the form of detached FPVs, which may attack air-defense positions after shootdown or during close approach.
“I urge all Ukrainian Armed Forces units to take note of the new risks,” he said.
Previously, factory mounts for carrying FPVs were recorded on Molniya and Gerbera drones. This practice is now spreading to heavier platforms.
