Russia unveils upgraded BM-35 jet drone with speed of over 350 km/h
Photo: launch of the BM-35 jet drone (screenshot from Russian media video)
Russian propagandists aired a report on the use of the BM-35 strike drone with a jet engine, which is reportedly capable of reaching speeds of more than 350 km/h and flying more than 200 km, according to a report by NTV that Ukrainian presidential adviser on communications Serhii Beskrestnov (call sign Flash).
Speed reportedly beyond the reach of interceptors
According to Russian operators, launching the BM-35 does not require extensive preparation - the drone can be launched within minutes from virtually any area using a mobile platform. The Russians claim that the operator can control the drone at any point along its flight path, essentially operating it in FPV mode, while Ukrainian electronic warfare systems allegedly do not interfere with its signal.
The drone's warhead weighs 10 kilograms, while its flight range exceeds 200 kilometers, which, according to the operators, allows it to strike targets deep behind the front lines.
The claimed speed is more than 350 km/h, which, according to the Russians, means Ukrainian interceptors cannot keep up with the aircraft.
All components are prepared in advance at a storage site. At the launch position, operators only need to assemble the drone, install the warhead and launch it - up to three such aircraft can be sent out at once. According to the operators, the munition disperses up to 1,000 fragments over a range of up to 200 meters.
Where the BM-35 is used and who operates it
Drones of this type are used by the Sever group in the area where Russian forces are advancing toward border areas of the Kharkiv and Sumy regions. Previously, this area was primarily covered by FPV drone units, and the BM-35 is presented as an alternative adapted to their tasks - disrupting Ukrainian forces' logistics.
In the report, the Russian troops acknowledge that their BM-35 missions are aimed at cutting off Ukrainian forces from supplies by targeting concealed positions and troop movements.
Ukraine is preparing to counter Russian jet-powered drones. As Yartura CEO Oleh Bukarenko told RBC-Ukraine in an interview, all developers of interceptor drones are expected to switch to jet propulsion because it significantly increases speed.
Ukrainian company SkyFall has also created the new high-speed P1-SUN Jetkiller interceptor, which is capable of effectively destroying Russian Shaheds equipped with jet engines. It can reach speeds of up to 370 km/h, exceeding the claimed speed of the enemy's BM-35 jet drone.
Back in June, Serhii Beskrestnov (call sign Flash) reported that Russian forces had begun using a cheap and primitive jet drone with analog video transmission at a frequency of 3.3 GHz. A military expert at the time described the combination of a jet engine and such a communications system as a dangerous technological step despite the aircraft's primitive design.
In late July and early August, the trend toward the mass deployment of such weapons was confirmed at the official level. Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said that in July 2026, Russian forces used five times more jet-powered drones than the previous month.
