- Category
- War in Ukraine
Russia’s Billion-Ruble Answer to Electronic Warfare: A Compass and Five Screws
Prefer U24 Media on Google
- Authors
![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Russia has begun equipping its low-cost Molniya attack drones with one of the oldest navigation tools ever invented—a magnetic compass. The device serves as a backup navigation aid, helping the drones maintain their course when satellite navigation signals are disrupted by electronic warfare.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
According to Defence Blog, citing Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov, Presidential Advisor on Defense Technology, the modified drones use an onboard camera that periodically points downward to read the compass, allowing them to maintain their heading even when GPS or Russia’s GLONASS satellite navigation signals are disrupted
“Skolkovo technologies continue to develop. A compass was installed on the Molniya drone, and the camera periodically tilts down to look at it,” Beskrestnov wrote on Facebook.
According to Defence Blog, the modification is intended to provide a basic backup navigation method when satellite signals are jammed or spoofed. The reported setup relies on a magnetic compass rather than satellite navigation, though its effectiveness under battlefield conditions remains unclear.
Beskrestnov has estimated that Russia can manufacture between 10 and 15 Molniya drones for the cost of a single Supercam reconnaissance drone, which he said can cost close to $100,000. The report suggests that Russia continues to prioritize inexpensive modifications to existing airframes rather than developing entirely new platforms.
Earlier, Kalashnikov unveiled a folding single-shot 12-gauge anti-drone shotgun, presenting it as a solution to the growing UAV threat. The weapon quickly became the target of ridicule among Russian war bloggers and soldiers, with critics arguing it was too heavy, too slow to reload, and so impractical that one commenter quipped it was “only good to shoot yourself with.”
Discuss this article:
-9a7b3a98ed5c506e0b77a6663f5727c5.png)
-c439b7bd9030ecf9d5a4287dc361ba31.jpg "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
-72b63a4e0c8c475ad81fe3eed3f63729.jpeg "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
-360a40df0c57118491f1afcdf129c910.png "Russian BM-21 Grad explodes after a Ukrainian FPV drone hit, July 20, 2026.")
