UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, Apr 23 — Russian forces started using modified drones “Molniya” in settlements near the frontline in the Kharkiv region. They increased the weight of explosive parts in new drones by several times, reported the regional Prosecutor’s Office to Gwara Media.

Kharkiv, a city that’s 20 miles from the Russian border, is subjected to mass drone attacks from Russia and occupied territories. During those air raids, Moscow uses real and decoy drones.

Russians used “Molniya” for the first time in 2024; back then, the explosive part was nearly three kilograms.

“It has similarities to a “Shahed” and first person view (FPV) drones, including video transmission. However, “Molniya” has a bigger flight range, around dozens of kilometers,” said Dmytro Chubenko, the spokesperson of the Prosecutor’s Office in the Kharkiv region, in November 2024, commenting on the first “Molniya” attack on Kharkiv.

Now, the Prosecutor’s Office recorded the modified drones “Molniya-1” and “Molniya-2” attacks with the weight of explosive parts equaling 10 kilograms.

On March 29, the last case of using a modified “Molniya” was documented in Derhachi, the city near Kharkiv. The “Molniya” hit a private household but did not explode, so it was possible to investigate its components, prosecutors say. A similar case happened this spring in Slatyne, the village in the urban community of Derhachi.

“Currently, there is no information that Russia is using modified “Molniya” in Kharkiv because these drones explode here, (making) it harder to investigate,” said the regional Prosecutor’s Office.

“Russians are improving these drones to cause more civilian casualties during the attacks,” said Dmytro Chubenko.

During the day of April 22, Russia attacked Kharkiv and its outskirts with 14 drones “Geran-2,” killing one and injuring nine civilians.

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