On January 4, 2026, Ukrainian forces in the Chernihiv region uncovered an intact Russian Shahed-136 drone unlike any before. Its warhead had been swapped for a shoulder-fired air-defense missile, turning a disposable strike weapon into a drone capable of firing back at pursuers.
The Discovery That Alarmed Ukraine’s Air Defenders
Members of the Darknode Battalion from the 412th Nemesis Brigade recovered the drone intact in the snow. Engineers examined it closely, revealing a MANPADS—likely an Igla-S or Verba—mounted on top, equipped with a camera, radio modem, and remote launch system. This setup transforms routine interception flights into high-stakes encounters, where drones can now target aircraft sent to destroy them.
From Suicide Drone to Air-to-Air Hunter
The Shahed-136, called Geran-2 in Russia, was originally a low-cost, autonomous kamikaze drone. The added missile provides a six-kilometer range, endangering helicopters and jets during missions. Weighing about 40 pounds in its tube, the MANPADS is far lighter than earlier Soviet R-60 missiles tested on drones, easing integration without major aerodynamic drag. Modern seekers, like the Verba’s multispectral type, allow flexible targeting without precise drone alignment, enabling effective ambushes.
How the Missile Is Fired
Operators remain essential to the system. The drone streams live video through radio or cellular links. When the missile’s seeker locks on, the operator—often far behind Russian lines—authorizes launch. The process from detection to firing can take mere seconds, embodying remote, detached combat.
The Immediate Warning to Ukrainian Pilots
News of the find spread quickly to helicopter units, urging avoidance of direct approaches to Shaheds. Loitering or circular patterns became riskier, as close-range cannon shots now invite retaliation. Pilots shifted to safer, less efficient tactics, potentially letting more drones reach targets.
Ukraine has downed thousands of Shaheds using armed helicopters, fighters, and interceptors. Russia counters with deterrence: arming a fraction of its 2,700 monthly combat drones and 2,500 decoys forces defenders to hesitate. The threat alone alters tactics, even without confirmed kills. Economically, a drone costing tens of thousands now endangers multimillion-dollar aircraft like F-16s, which devote 80% of sorties to drone hunts, often conserving missiles with gunfire.
A Dangerous Cost Inversion
Losses mount even without armed drones. Since 2022, Ukraine lost five aircraft on such missions, including Lt. Col. Maksym Ustymenko in June 2025. After downing seven drones in one night, he steered his damaged F-16 from populated areas but could not eject. Missile-equipped Shaheds amplify risks for these already hazardous operations.
This modification refines prior tests. In December 2025, Ukraine seized a Shahed with a heavier R-60 needing launch rails and exact orientation. The MANPADS version is simpler and more practical for wider use. Control has advanced too, with line-of-sight antennas, mesh networks, and Starlink extending range for real-time oversight. Recent models add tail-mounted infrared emitters to spoof heat-seekers, mimicking “searchlights” that foil flares and decoy-resistant missiles.
The tactic echoes Ukraine’s innovations, like 2025 drone strikes on Russian Mi-8 helicopters using cheap platforms. No Ukrainian plane has fallen to these armed Shaheds yet, but assumed threats lengthen engagement ranges and drop interception rates, aiding Russian strikes.
This shift redefines aerial warfare. Drones evolve into versatile, networked systems for reconnaissance, attack, and defense. Pilots face modular foes that loiter and strike back, compelling doctrinal changes amid crowded skies where survival hinges on rapid adaptation.
Sources:
“Russia Adds Anti-Aircraft Missile Capability to Shahed One-Way Attack Drones.” Flight Global, 5 Jan 2026.
Russian Shahed-136 Kamikaze Drones Now Carrying MANPADS Missiles.” The War Zone, 4 Jan 2026.
Ukrainian F-16 Pilot Maksym Ustymenko Killed While Repulsing Record Russian Aerial Attack.” Ukrainian World Congress, 29 Jun 2025.
Ukraine Downs Russian Mi-8 Helicopter With Deep Strike Drone for First Time, Military Claims.” Kyiv Independent, 22 Nov 2025.