Drone warfare has become a central element of the ongoing war in Ukraine for both sides. After depleting their resources due to prolonged conflict, Russian forces are maximizing the utility of their current inventory by reusing or repurposing drones rather than reserving them as one-off tools.
For example, there is the Molniya drone, often made from ultra-light materials like plywood to save battery power during flight. As a result, the Molniya is modified, with engineers removing the warhead to create the weight capacity needed for larger batteries and advanced cameras. Since December 2025, these modified versions have been called Molniya-2R and house surprisingly sophisticated components optimizing their reconnaissance.
According to the global equipment guide provided by OE Data Integration Network (ODIN), these drones now carry entire mini PCs to control them. Specifically, a Chinese F8 mini PC running Windows 11 and Raspberry Pi 5 is connected to the drone, making it one of the strangest Raspberry Pi projects. A 10x zoom optical camera with three-axis stabilization replaces the warhead. ODIN also specifies that these drones use Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite Internet service, to send videos back to the base. There is still a version of the Molniya 2 that uses the warhead, intended for tanks, trenches and fortified positions.
Russia and Ukraine innovate for war
Russia’s evolution of the Molniya drone is a direct response to low-cost drones on both sides, largely defining the long-running conflict. The Ukrainian Sting air-to-air interceptor, for example, reportedly shot down an entire Russian drone armed with an air-to-air missile. With so many methods preventing Russia from launching effective strikes, Putin’s men have had to increase the number of drones per strike. Compared to 2025, Russian attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure have increased more than 10 times, reports Oleksiy Kuleba, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister.
Defenses have evolved rapidly and Russia has tested other types of drones in recent weeks. A Metro TV report on YouTube shows a new portable interceptor drone. Fired like a gun, the $500 Yolka fires an interceptor drone at rapid speeds, but much of its underlying technology has not been disclosed.
In comparison, Ukraine is developing unmanned ground robots and a points-based system that rewards drones for proven actions on the battlefield. Verified strikes on the battlefield with drones or destruction of targets will earn points that can be spent on additional equipment. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported that by 2025 the points system was associated with striking more than 800,000 Russian targets.