Russia’s forces have begun receiving large batches of Molniya PVO interceptor drones, Izvestia has found. The aircraft are designed to hit airborne targets and differ from the standard Molniya by being smaller, faster and more maneuverable.

An FPV fixed-wing pilot with the call sign Maestro, who trains drone operators, told the outlet that the Molniya PVO is roughly half the size of the regular version. The interceptor can carry a payload of up to one kilogram and is used only against targets in the air. Its higher speed and maneuverability, he said, make it easier for operators to strike enemy drones.

The drone comes with a small catapult, but it can also be launched by hand. A hand launch is faster and lowers the risk of exposing the position, since the drone’s weight allows crews to operate without extra equipment.

According to Izvestia, a Russian unit using Molniya PVO drones against airborne targets has already downed around 600 Baba-Yaga copters and about 30 to 40 reconnaissance drones operated by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The commander of a drone systems platoon in the 114th Brigade of the 51st Guards Army of the Tsentr group of forces said some operators have more than 100 destroyed targets to their name.

The Molniya PVO upgrade had earlier been described by a senior operator with the call sign Uzh. In January, he told Krasnaya Zvezda that the aircraft had received a warhead designed to effectively hit different types of drones. The upgraded Molniya PVO can fly up to 60 kilometers and reach speeds of up to 220 kilometers per hour.