Ukraine has been blasting drones to attack Russia's million-dollar air defense capabilities

• Ukrainian GUR released a video in which a fixed-wing drone was ejected into operation near Crimea.

• It said its special forces used UJ-26 Bober drones to strike off the distant Russian defense.

• The $110,000 fixed-wing drone appears to be equipped with a thermal camera and FPV controls.

Ukraine's Intelligence Agency (GUR) released videos of Kiev's UJ-26 “Bober” drone fired through catapults to attack Russian air defense.

The video, released Tuesday, shows locally made 8-foot-long roaming ammunition hanging in the air by a fixed ramp. Gur said his special forces launched drones to attack Russian-occupied targets in Crimea.

The new launch method allows the fixed-wing Bober to enter combat without a landing gear, which may increase its range or maneuverability. Traditionally, foxes take off from traditional aircraft and other aircraft.

Given that the ramp may have to be established on Ukrainian-occupied territory west of the DNIEPER River, the drone must travel at least about 60 miles to reach Russian targets in Crimea.

The drone also appears to be equipped with thermal cameras from several first-person view clips uploaded by defense intelligence agencies.

A montage appears to show a drone escaping missiles and then flew to the $15 million Pantsir S-1 point air defense system. As the convoy's crew competed for cover, a second drone was also shown flying towards the ground next to the Pantsir S-1.

Gul described the attack as a “successful failure” of Panthir, but there was no footage showing the results.

Intelligence agencies also said it carried out similar successful attacks on three Russian radar systems (Niobium-SV, Pechora-3 and Provotnik GE), as well as the fourth-generation SU-30 fighter.

It uploaded several first-person drone clips and approached these systems using thermal cameras, although it could only be seen that many of them could only fly near their targets.

Business insiders cannot independently verify the damage caused.

Ukrainian media often describe Niobium-SV as a $100 million system. Russia's earlier estimates were before the full invasion that indicated that the Kremlin acquired Niobium-SV in 2016 for $40 million per unit. However, more expensive upgrades may have been installed thereafter.

Meanwhile, it was reported that an uncle (Bober) converted into a Ukrainian “Beaver” cost about $110,000. Propeller UAVs are used for long-range attacks, and the KZ-6 is known to charge a 6.6-pound dismantling explosive designed to break through concrete or armor.

This is another example of how wars increasingly use cheap systems for attacks, sometimes destroying expensive high-end equipment and poses difficult questions for traditional defense procurement models that will largely prioritize advanced technology.

For example, one of Ukraine's largest community drone funds run by activist Serhii Sternenko reported to donors that its crowdfunded drones have damaged at least 11 Buk surface-to-air missile systems in 2025. The fund often releases footage of such strikes.

Depending on whether they have the latest upgrades, these defenses could cost Russia between $1 billion and $100 million. By comparison, Sternenko's fund says it receives about $6 million in donations per month on its entire budget.

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