- Category
- Latest news
Shahed Uno Reverse: Ukraine Straps Captured Drone Warhead to Ground Robot
- Authors
![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Ukraine is now turning Russia’s own weapons back against it. A Ukrainian Ratel-S unmanned ground vehicle has been fitted with a warhead taken from a downed Shahed drone and will be “sent back to the Russians,” according to a volunteer and head of the Zampotech charity initiative, Ihor Shkilnyy, who shared footage and photos of the modified platform on December 4.
Every article pushes back against disinformation. Your support keeps our team in the field.
Shahed drones—Iranian-designed and licensed for Russian use—typically carry a warhead weighing around 30–50 kilograms, depending on configuration, and are filled with fragmentation and blast components intended to destroy infrastructure and ignite fuel and ammunition.
Ukrainian forces routinely recover unexploded or partially intact Shahed debris, including motors, guidance components, and warheads.
The Ratel-S is a tracked robotic platform designed to destroy battlefield targets, particularly armored vehicles. Images show a compartment in the chassis used to mount anti-tank mines, although soldiers have also strapped mortar rounds directly to the frame when operating as a low-cost demolition vehicle.
Shkilnyy described using the Ratel-S in two configurations: as a “mobile warhead”—a ground-based system—and as a weapons carrier paired with a mounted module. However, he did not specify what additional armaments the system is capable of fielding.
According to the published specifications, the Ratel-S can reach speeds of up to 24 km/h, operate at ranges of up to 6 kilometers, and function for up to two hours on a single charge, depending on terrain and payload weight.
The platform’s ability to maneuver in trenches, rubble, and narrow urban environments distinguishes it from aerial drones, and makes it particularly suited for striking armored vehicles, bunkers, and concealed positions.
Earlier, Ukraine unveiled a new ground drone, Sirko-S1, equipped with the TROPIYA remote demining system. This platform is designed to clear minefields from a distance and open safe corridors for infantry and vehicles.
-7f54d6f9a1e9b10de9b3e7ee663a18d9.png)
-0158b6b681e3668f470de36aedad9e3c.jpg "Russian Su-24 bomber moments before Ukrainian drone strike, Crimea. (Source: HUR)")
