It took more than two months. Almost three even to understand how the security service of Vladimir Putin had protected the Russian president during the parade of the victory day of May 9 in Moscow. It was ultimately the Ukrainian military analyst and an expert in electronic war Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov who pierced the mystery.
In a video published on social networks and set out again with many follow-up accounts of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, a member of the personal security of the chief of the Kremlin was seen near Vladimir Putin in possession of a waterproof black bag which partially covered an object on which have been mounted with small three-blades.
“Easy to transport” and launched by hand
Presented as “the weapon of the future” by several local media, it was in fact the Russian interceptor drone of the Yolka type. The aircraft is designed to intercept suicide kamikazes, recognition and bombing (FPV) by entering physical collision with its target. But not just any way.
Unlike most electronic systems that blur or cut the radio signals from drones, the Yolka is betting on brute force. It is launched by hand using a reusable catapult. He then uses his self -driving capacity to continue his target independently, before shooting it down by hitting it directly.
According to the Russian media Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the aircraft is “easy to transport and, in the event of a threat from an enemy drone, can be quickly launched towards the attacker object”. The Yolka is therefore designed to counter a very real threat: small drones used for espionage or targeted attacks, as could be an attempted attack on President Putin.
Being very little used on the front, the information relating to its capacities, its autonomy, its altitude and its other performances are limited. We just know that it has four fins at the front and four other larger ones with the rear propellers. Although it is mainly an interceptor, some specialists believe that the Yolka can also be equipped with an warhead, allowing it to act like a suicide bomber.