Russian Forces Target Kharkiv with New "Molniya" Drone, Injuring Civilians

Russian forces targeted Kharkiv’s Saltivskyi district using a new type of drone called the “Molniya -1,” according to Dmytro Chubenko, spokesperson for the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office On November 12.

Chubenko described the weapon as “a new type of armament for Kharkiv.” He explained that the “Molniya” is a small, cost-effective drone constructed from simple materials such as plywood and plastic, with a range of up to 40 kilometers and carrying a warhead containing 3 to 5 kilograms of explosives. “It is a very simple design and very cheap to produce,” Chubenko said.

Although the drone is not effective for military targets, it poses a significant threat to civilians.

“This type of weapon terrorizes the local population. People are injured while walking on the streets or even in their homes,” Chubenko warned.

As a result of the attack in Saltivskyi district, two women were injured–one received medical assistance for a severe stress reaction, while another suffered shrapnel wounds. In a separate attack in Kharkiv’s Slobidskyi district, a 60-year-old woman was injured by shattered glass after another “Molniya” drone strike, according to the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

On November 11, Russian drone strike on Mykolaiv killed 5 people, destroyed a residential building, and damaged a four-story house, igniting a fire that spread across the third and fourth floors.