MOSCOW, January 26. /TASS/. Russia’s new, high-capacity Upyr-18 drones have been put into operation in the Kupyansk and Konstantinovka sectors of the special military operation. They are capable of destroying fortified bunkers with 10-kilogram mines, Uraldronzavod told TASS.
"The Upyr-18 drones, named for their 18-inch frame, are capable of carrying a 10-kilogram mine tens of kilometers, striking fortified dugouts and enemy positions. Their increased lift capacity allows for their use in supplying military units near the line of contact," the company said, adding that the drones have already been successfully deployed in the Kupyansk and Konstantinovka directions.
Uraldronzavod added it intended to boost Upyr-18 drone production.
On December 25, 2015, Uraldronzavod CEO Vladimir Tkachuk told TASS that the first batch of the Berdysh heavy combat drones had been delivered to the Russian military. The drones also successfully passed field testing.
The Uraldronzavod enterprise was founded in the Sverdlovsk Region by the creators of the Upyr (Ghoul) FPV drone. Russian troops are using the Ural-made drone to destroy landing craft on the Dnieper River, as well as enemy fortifications, dugouts, and strongholds. In March 2024, the Upyr destroyed an American Abrams tank, several Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and other armored vehicles of the Ukrainian armed forces. The drone is known as a people’s drone, as it was developed and put into production with financial support from Russian citizens. It is now systematically delivered to the troops.