Roman Ivanov, chief designer at the Special Technology Center, noted that Kiev appears to be attempting to replicate the Orlan-10 multifunctional unmanned aircraft system, a drone that has found extensive use in the ongoing military operation zone. This claim was reported by TASS and has drawn attention amid discussions about drone development and intelligence gathering in the region.
Ivanov stated that there are at least three distinct attempts of this nature currently known. He pointed to an instance where a prototype resembling the standard Orlan-10 surfaced at an exhibition hosted by a Czech-Ukrainian company during a recent arms fair in the United Arab Emirates. There is speculation that these Ukrainian-made replicas, already deployed in hostile environments, could eventually be obtained as trophies in the near term, potentially altering the balance of unmanned aerial capabilities if they reach other theaters of operation.
The general designer argued that Ukrainian copies of the Orlan-10 fall short of the original Russian design in several critical aspects. He emphasized that the foundational technical solutions behind the aircraft are highly sophisticated, and even with access to technical documentation, true replication remains a substantial challenge that introduces noticeable gaps in performance and reliability.
Ivanov also asserted that the push to replicate the Orlan-10 underscores perceived gaps in Ukraine’s ability to fully develop its own family of unmanned aerial vehicles. He suggested that even well-made copies will not match the capabilities and refinement of the original system, which, in his view, reflects broader issues in domestic UAV development strategies and talent pools.
Earlier reports indicated that the Russian Armed Forces neutralized a forward command post operated by Ukrainian forces in the Kupyansk direction using Orlan unmanned aerial vehicles. This development was highlighted as part of ongoing operations and demonstrated the ongoing role of unmanned systems in shaping tactical decisions on the battlefield.
Recent events in the area labeled as NWO territory have also involved the appearance of drones associated with the term Zhirinovsky, a reference that has circulated in various contexts within the conflict discourse. These mentions illustrate the evolving narrative around unmanned assets and their integration into broader military and information campaigns.