Russia Deploys Upgraded Shahed-Type Drones Used in Ukraine to Mali for the First Time

Russia’s Africa Corps has reportedly deployed upgraded Garpiya-A1 long-range attack drones in Mali, marking the first confirmed use of the Shahed-type system outside the war against Ukraine.

According to a report published by Defense Blog on May 19, wreckage of a Russian Garpiya-A1 KK-series drone was discovered near the city of Sévaré in central Mali following clashes between Malian government forces and Azawad rebel groups on May 18.

The recovered drone was equipped with an airburst warhead designed to detonate above a target area rather than on impact.

The publication reported that the system belongs to Russia’s latest KK-series variant and includes a 16-element Kometa-M16 controlled reception pattern antenna (CRPA), intended to improve resistance to electronic warfare and satellite signal jamming.

The Garpiya-A1 is Russia’s domestically produced version of the Iranian-designed Shahed-136 loitering munition. The drones are manufactured by IEMZ Kupol, a subsidiary of Russian defense conglomerate Almaz-Antey, using components sourced largely from China.

The report noted that Russia began expanding production of Shahed-type drones after obtaining Iranian drone technology and has since introduced multiple modified variants during the full-scale war against Ukraine.

Defense Blog stated that approximately 500 Garpiya-series drones were reportedly used monthly in Ukraine during 2025, providing Russian manufacturers with large-scale operational testing before the system’s apparent deployment in Africa.

According to the publication, the KK-series differs from earlier variants through the integration of the Kometa-M16 navigation antenna, replacing the previous 12-element Kometa-M12 system.

CRPA technology is designed to suppress interference signals from selected directions while maintaining satellite navigation reception, increasing the drone’s ability to operate in contested electronic warfare environments.

Defense Blog reported that the Garpiya-A1 can reportedly carry a payload of up to 150 kilograms, reach speeds of approximately 185 kilometers per hour, and operate at ranges up to 1,500 kilometers.

The drone was reportedly recovered near Sévaré, a strategic logistics and military hub in Mali’s Mopti region that hosts one of the country’s major airbases and connects southern Mali with northern territories where armed groups remain active.

According to Defense Blog, the deployment was linked to Russia’s Africa Corps, the Kremlin-controlled successor to the Wagner Group in Mali following the death of Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin in 2023. Wagner personnel formally withdrew from Mali in June 2025, after which Africa Corps assumed responsibility for Russian operations in the country.

Earlier, reports emerged that Russia had transferred some of its newest T-72B3M tanks—modernized with battlefield lessons from the war against Ukraine—to Libya, where the vehicles were reportedly spotted in service with forces led by Khalifa Haftar.

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