Russia is strengthening its defenses against Ukrainian drones with combat laser systems and specialized FPV interceptors. According to military expert and air defense historian Yuri Knutov, Russian laser weapons can already eliminate up to 80% of aerial targets. Another weapon, the Kraken FPV drone, is designed to chase down enemy UAVs and destroy them with a specialized warhead. Knutov outlined the capabilities of these systems in an interview with NEWS.ru.
The effectiveness of Russian laser weapons continues to improve as military personnel share their operational experience with developers. Knutov explained that troops regularly suggest technical modifications to enhance the systems' performance. He expects these ongoing improvements to push drone interception rates even higher.
Russia is also moving toward large-scale production of its laser weapons. At the recent Russia-Africa summit in Moscow, Rosoboronexport presented several laser-based combat systems to foreign delegations. Company representatives announced that the weapons had completed testing and would soon enter serial production.
However, Russian forces are already operating combat lasers rather than simply waiting for new systems to reach production. Knutov described the development and deployment of this technology as a major breakthrough for Russia’s defense industry.
The destructive power of the latest laser systems was previously demonstrated in a report by Vesti war correspondent Alexander Rogatkin, who released the first footage of a new-generation weapon in action. The video shows the system’s protective cover opening before a purple beam shoots into the night sky. Moments later, the targeted drone bursts into flames and crashes to the ground.
The new weapon is designed to intercept Ukrainian drones before they can strike strategic facilities inside Russia. It can burn through both small quadcopters and larger attack UAVs, including the FP-1 and Lyutyy, expanding the range of aerial threats that Russian laser systems can destroy.