-46f6afa2f66d31ff3df8ea1a8f5524ec.jpg "Jess Daly")
An "unidentified type of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)" was shot down on July 20th in Kyiv, which was reported by the Ukraine's Air Force. But what do we know about this drone so far?
On the night of July 20th Russia attacked Ukraine with missiles, Shahed-136 and strike drones. Mobile fire teams, anti-aircraft missile troops, and electronic warfare units shot down thirteen out of sixteen Shaheds, along with 1 “unidentified” drone in Kyiv.
It was reported that the “unidentified” drone flew at an extremely low altitude of 20-30 meters, which strongly suggests that it was similar to a “strike drone.”
Images of the drone's debris were released online, and it looks very different from a Shahed-136. Defense Express reviewed photos of the drone and noted that it appears to be a “UAV with a wingspan of over 4 meters, tail fins on beams, a pusher propeller, and a square-profile fuselage.”
It resembled the Russian ZALA 421-20 but the ZALA is designed for reconnaissance, overground and oversea surveillance- which is not not normally able to fly at such low altitudes. UAVs of this variety are no longer in their website's product catalog.
The debris and components of this drone are currently being investigated therefore likely to be identified in the future.
-b8fcbbfe52c8c4ebd7d839f8da0d3498.jpeg "Daniel Kosoy")