Car Bomb Rocks Russia’s FPV Drone Program, Seriously Injuring Key Developer

A Russian developer of the Upyr FPV drone and author of the pro-war Telegram channel Povernutye na Voyne  was seriously injured after an explosive device detonated beneath his vehicle near Yekaterinburg.

The incident was first reported by the Russian Telegram channel Mash on August 5, which is widely associated with Russian law enforcement sources, and later confirmed by Russia’s state news agency TASS, citing emergency and security officials.

According to Mash, the explosion occurred in the settlement of Bolshoy Istok, southeast of Yekaterinburg, after an explosive device allegedly planted beneath a Mercedes-Benz detonated.

Russian media identified the injured man as Vladimir Tkachuk, director of UralDroneZavod, a company producing the Upyr FPV attack drone, which Russian forces have used in the war against Ukraine since 2023. Tkachuk is also reported to be the author of the pro-war Telegram channel Povernutye na Voyne, which has more than 660,000 subscribers.

According to Mash and local Telegram channels, Tkachuk was hospitalized in critical condition and remains in intensive care. His driver and bodyguard was killed at the scene.

TASS, citing Russian law enforcement agencies, reported that investigators have opened a criminal case on charges of attempted murder. Russian authorities have not publicly identified any suspects or stated who may have been responsible for the attack.

The Upyr is a Russian-made FPV strike drone developed through private and volunteer initiatives in Russia’s Sverdlovsk region. It has been deployed by Russian forces during the full-scale war against Ukraine since 2023.

Earlier, a senior official linked to Russia’s internet censorship apparatus, Mikhail Ivanov, was killed in a Ukrainian strike on Kyrylivka in the Zaporizhzhia region. Ivanov headed Roskomnadzor’s Main Radio Frequency Center office in Zaporizhzhia, an agency responsible for overseeing telecommunications infrastructure and enforcing internet censorship in Russian-controlled territories.

Protect Ukrainian Skies

Subscribe to Sky Defense