By Julia Struck
Copyright kyivpost
The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have shot down a Russian Orion reconnaissance and strike drone worth several million dollars, as per Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces Robert “Madyar” Brovdi.
“Flown enough, mother f***er. Shot down strike reconnaissance aircraft ‘Orion’. 414th separate brigade ‘Birds of the Madyar’, Topot Team. 16.3 meters wingspan, 24 hours in the air,” Brovdi wrote on Telegram.
“Orion remained for dessert,” he added.
Brovdi also shared a video showing the moment of the drone’s destruction. Kyiv Post has not been able to independently verify the time and place of filming.
According to him, over the course of the war, the “Birds of the Madyar” unit has destroyed more than 1,500 Russian drones, including Orlan, Zala, Supercam, Shahed, Geran, and Lancet types – with Merlin and Forpost drones being among the largest.
The Orion UAV, in service with the Russian army since 2020, is a medium-altitude, long-endurance drone developed by Russia’s Kronstadt company using Israeli technology. It can carry a variety of munitions such as the KAB-20, KAB-50, UPAB-50, and FAB-50 guided aerial bombs.
Aviation analyst and deputy director of a Ukrainian electronic warfare (EW) company, Anatoly Khrapchinsky, said in a late 2024 interview with Ukrainian Radio that the Orion’s components are largely foreign.
“There is very little Russian tech there,” he said. “Even the engine is Austrian. It’s heavy and expensive.”
He added that Russia continues to procure these components through third-party countries such as Kazakhstan.
Weighing 1,150 kilograms (2,500 pounds), the Orion is capable of flying for up to 24 hours at altitudes of 7,500 meters (25,000 feet) with a 200-kilogram (440-pound) payload. It is used for surveillance, providing real-time battlefield intelligence as well as combat missions.
Although the exact cost is unknown, estimates place it at over $5 million per unit. The Russian Defense Ministry reportedly spent around $30 million developing the prototype.
In July, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) released footage showing an FPV drone shooting down another Orion, a rare instance of such a large reconnaissance-strike UAV being destroyed by an anti-aircraft drone. Defense Express commented:
“This is at least the first time this UAV has been caught on video being brought down by an anti-aircraft drone. It may also be the first time such a truly ‘fat’ target has ever been hunted down this way.”
