Drone War: Russia Tests Archangel to Destroy Ukrainian Spies in the Sky

The Russian occupation army in Kursk is testing a new drone interception system called “Archangel”.

This is reported by Defence Blog with reference to the head of the UAV volunteer initiative, Mykhailo Filippov.

According to him, the system was created as a response to the active use of Ukrainian drones, which are used both on the front and inside Russia. The new combat UAVs are produced by the Kalashnikov defense concern, and interceptor crews and mobile radar groups have already been deployed for operational testing in the Kursk region.

The Archangel is designed to support and strengthen the Russian air defense network, rather than completely replace existing air defense systems. The interceptor drone combines high speed (up to 360 km/h) and range (up to 50 km), allowing it to respond to Ukrainian reconnaissance drones that fly half as slowly.

Filippov explained that Ukraine’s reconnaissance drones help find gaps in Russian air defenses, after which strike drones attack infrastructure and military facilities. At the same time, Ukrainian drones cost much less than Russian missiles or other air defense systems, which makes conventional interception tactics ineffective. According to him, the Archangel is designed to level this economic inequality and destroy targets on approach.

Mobile radar teams track enemy drones and guide the interceptor to safe zones for neutralization, minimizing the risk to infrastructure and settlements. Filippov emphasizes that timely destruction of reconnaissance drones prevents further, more destructive attacks.

In his opinion, modern warfare is increasingly defined by the ability to quickly detect and neutralize drones, and victory will go to the side that most effectively applies new counter-drone technologies.

“The development of the Archangel reflects the transformation of the battlefield under the influence of the mass use of drones. Both Ukraine and Russia are actively using them for reconnaissance, guidance, and direct attacks,” Defense Blog concludes.

As a reminder, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga stated that Russia used a secretly developed 9M729 cruise missile against Ukraine. It was because of this missile that US President Donald Trump withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019.

As reported, Russia uses a wide range of weapons to strike Ukrainian cities, the cost of which is hundreds of millions of rubles per unit.

Also follow “Pryamim” on Facebook , Twitter , Telegram , and Instagram.