Russia deploys AI-equipped Shahed drones with radio control for precision strikes on Ukraine

Beskrestnov, who spoke with journalists of the publication, noted that the Russians have received into service "white Shaheds" – drones that have platforms with artificial intelligence, cameras, and radio communication. However, such electronics intended for drones are very expensive.

Therefore, most likely, the expert assumed, new types of UAVs will be used exclusively for targeted attacks – including on moving targets, or on critical infrastructure, power line towers, and so on.

David Albright from the Washington Institute for Science and International Security added that previous versions of the "Shahed" drones could not hit a moving object or change trajectory after launch. They flew in circles across Ukraine to find the target, which made them relatively easy to shoot down.

However, radio communication on the drone means that the operator can "guide" the UAV from Russia, choose a target for it. Potentially, the operator could even control a large number of drones at once.

Multi-antenna modules will allow the drone to be more resistant to electronic warfare systems. Recently, modules with eight and 12 antennas were found in the wreckage of downed drones – both manufactured in China. And the jamming block extracted from the wreckage of the "white" drone shows that it was manufactured by Iran.

Not a wonder weapon

Beskrestnov confirmed that the Russians began using Shaheds with radio control. But he assumed that this is not an Iranian product, but a Russian one: the drone has a different color, which is characteristic precisely of the production of Alabuga.

"A long time ago, our intelligence reported that the enemy wants to equip part of the Shaheds with a camera and radio control. The task was probably to attack border areas with high precision, especially targets that can move. But for some reason, we didn’t see the implementation of this idea," he explained the background of the issue.

According to the expert, one should not expect mass production of either "white" or "black" Iranian drones with AI modules. The thing is, the components for these drones are quite expensive.

"But the serial production of the Russian Geran product with primitive and cheap radio control is quite possible," Beskrestnov assumed.

He reminded that to convert a UAV into a radio-controlled one, the Russians will need to add one module to the UAV, the price of which in China starts from seven thousand dollars. On the other hand, everything that is radio-controlled can, in one way or another, be jammed by EW means, Beskrestnov assured.

Shahed terrorism

In recent months, Shahed attacks on peaceful cities in Ukraine have become more massive. Russians launch hundreds of drones per night, especially when a UAV raid is conducted before a missile attack.

Since the beginning of the war, the Russians have already launched more than 28,000 Shaheds on Ukraine. They ordered the first batches from Iran even before the war, and from 2022 began to receive them by the thousands.

Since November 2022, Russian forces have attacked Ukraine exclusively with Iranian drones, but already the following year, in the so-called "special economic zone of Alabuga" in Tatarstan, a plant began operating, licensed by Iran. The plant has already produced thousands of Russian copies of the Iranian drone – the Russians named it Geran-2.