China-made Weaponised Russian Drone Shot Down by Ukrainian Forces

The Ukrainian military claimed that it has shot down a modernized and weaponized China-made Mugin-5 drone in eastern Ukraine last Sunday. This drone carried a bomb of about 20 kilograms, which the Ukrainian soldiers later detonated.

Military drones of the Mugin-5 category are manufactured by Mugin Limited, a Chinese company based in Xiamen. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are also known as “Alibaba drones” because they can be purchased for up to US$15,000 on the Chinese online platforms Alibaba and Taobao.

According to CNN, this china-made Russian drone was shot down by AK-47 rifles. Mugin Limited confirmed that the craft downed near the city of Sloviansk, eastern Ukraine, and was one of its own.

This drone hints at the fact that Russia has started weaponizing civilian drones for their military use against Ukraine.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence is yet to comment on the incident.

The weaponized commercial drone did not have a camera fitted, meaning it was not used for surveillance. Experts feel it was being used as a “dumb bomb”.