Denis Fedotov: Alternative Counter-Drone Measures Are Needed for Effective Defense Against Drones

"Raging" Threat: What We Know About the Drone Attack on Izhevsk

Denis Fedotinov: Alternative Counter-Drone Measures Are Needed for Effective Defense Against Drones

Author: Yury Enzov

The photo shows a Ukrainian "Raging" suicide drone

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Denis Fedotinov

Head of the Udmurt Republic, Alexander Brechalov, in his Telegram channel stated that the number of injured from the Ukrainian drone attack on a company in Izhevsk has increased to 45, with some deaths. 35 people were sent to hospitals in the city, and six were transported to Moscow by Russian emergency services' special aircraft last night.

On the morning of July 1st, a Ukrainian drone attacked Izhevsk — an enterprise in the city was attacked. The attack caused a fire, and all personnel at the "Kupol" factory were evacuated. Firefighters worked at the scene.

The attack used a Ukrainian "Raging" suicide drone, which was likely modified. Witnesses captured footage of it flying over the city. Another drone of the same type was shot down as it approached the target. The Russian Ministry of Defense did not comment on these reports.

Military journalist Yevgeny Podubny speculated that this terrorist attack is related to the visit of German Foreign Minister Johannes Wadefried to Kyiv. The journalist pointed out that the drones used in the attack on the Izhevsk enterprise were produced with funding provided by Berlin. The head of the Kiev regime, Vladimir Zelenskyy, wants to demonstrate the strength of the Ukrainian armed forces to the West.

Denis Fedotinov, editor-in-chief of the specialized magazine "Drone Aviation," said that the one that could reach Izhevsk might be a larger-sized suicide drone:

"An-196 'Raging' is a fixed-wing drone developed by Ukraine, used as a suicide drone to strike rear targets. It has been widely used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to attack industrial, infrastructure, and other targets within Russia. More accurately, it is one of at least five drone systems frequently used by Ukraine, including the UJ-22 Airborne, 'Beaver,' and 'Fisherman.'

The development of the 'Raging' An-196 drone began in the second half of 2022, supported by Valery Zaluzhnyi, then Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The production work was carried out by the state aviation company Antonov, which belongs to the 'Ukrainian Defense Industry Group.'"

"Although 'Raging' is considered a domestically developed product in Ukraine, a significant part of its subsystems rely on imports — including the power unit, fuel system, navigation system (which includes components based on machine vision). The initial claimed price per unit was $200,000. However, during this period, the cost may have decreased, partly due to the launch of mass production."

"Free News": What is the structure and performance of this drone?

"The drone uses a double-beam layout, with low-mounted wings and an inverted 'V' tail. Two Hirth F-23 piston engines drive dual-blade propellers.

The fuselage length is 4.4 meters, with a wingspan of 6.7 meters. The maximum takeoff weight is between 250-300 kilograms, including a combat payload of up to 75 kilograms integrated into the fuselage. This drone can fly autonomously, with a range of more than 1,000 kilometers. The cruising speed is approximately 150 kilometers per hour.

From actual application cases of this drone, we can see that its structure has been improved. The version used in the attack on Izhevsk has no landing gear, which helps reduce the empty weight of the fuselage and increase fuel reserves or the weight of the combat payload.

Ukraine may use multiple versions of this drone depending on specific circumstances. This approach gives the Ukrainian military greater flexibility in equipment selection, helping them quickly adapt to changing battlefield situations."

"Free News": When did this drone start being used?

"The first case of use appeared in the spring of 2023, but it wasn't until around 2024 that it began to be used on a large scale. This may indicate that the enemy has successfully launched mass production.

It is worth noting separately that the usage of other types of drones is also increasing. The enemy is trying to diversify the systems they use. This approach can, to some extent, maximize the distribution of production and reduce the risk of being destroyed by Russian strike weapons."

"In addition, this approach allows them to select the most effective solutions based on practical usage experience."

"Free News": What are the characteristics and tactics of this drone?

"One of the tactics is drone swarming. The enemy will simultaneously deploy a group of different types of drones, some carrying combat payloads and others serving as 'decoys' to attract the attention of air defense systems and consume their resources.

This is just a rough description of one possible scenario. The enemy continues to experiment with tactics, exploring methods to break through defenses and effectively strike our key facilities."