Russia Reportedly Shoots Down Its Own Orion Missile Drone Near Crimea

Russia has reportedly lost another Orion reconnaissance and strike drone near occupied Crimea, with evidence suggesting the aircraft was brought down by Russian air defenses rather than Ukrainian forces.

According to Defense Express on June 29, video circulating online shows the wreckage of a burning drone in a field while a witness claims it was shot down. The outlet reported that the aircraft was identified as an Orion based on its distinctive V-shaped tail, engine nacelle, and propeller spinner.

Defense Express said the crash site was geolocated near the settlement of Ivanivka in temporarily occupied Crimea, approximately 13 kilometers from Kerch and about 11 kilometers from the airfield where Orion drones are reportedly based.

The reported incident comes less than a week after Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) announced strikes on the same airfield in occupied Kerch, where three Orion drones were reportedly destroyed on the ground.

If confirmed, the latest loss would bring Russia’s reported Orion losses to four within a week. Defense Express noted that the Orion is currently the only publicly known Russian platform capable of carrying the Banderol cruise missile.

According to Defense Express, the Banderol cruise missile has a reported range of up to 500 kilometers and uses an OFBCh-150 high-explosive fragmentation warhead.

The outlet also reported that the missile is powered by a Chinese-made Swiwin jet engine available on the civilian market, giving it a claimed top speed of up to 650 km/h and a cruising speed of around 560 km/h.

The Orion drone has a wingspan of 16.3 meters and a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 1,000 kilograms, according to Defense Express. The outlet assessed that its size and configuration make it unlikely to be mistaken visually for a Ukrainian drone, raising questions about the circumstances of the reported friendly-fire incident.

Earlier, a Russian Tu-22M3 nuclear-capable long-range bomber crashed in Russia’s Irkutsk region during a training flight. Russia’s Defense Ministry said the crew ejected and survived, while the cause of the crash was not disclosed.

Protect Ukrainian Skies

Subscribe to Sky Defense