Captured Ukrainian Baba Yagas Are Becoming Russia’s Drone Of Choice
Key takeaways
- Aerospace & Defense Captured Ukrainian Baba Yagas Are Becoming Russia’s Drone Of Choice By Vikram Mittal,
- Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights.
- Developing a heavy multirotor drone is significantly more challenging than producing the smaller quadcopters commonly seen on the battlefield.
Aerospace & Defense Captured Ukrainian Baba Yagas Are Becoming Russia’s Drone Of Choice By Vikram Mittal,
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Vikram Mittal is a contributor who covers aerospace and defense.Follow Author May 23, 2026, 06:14am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Various images posted on social media showing Ukrainian Baba Yaga drones that have been captured by Russian forces.Social Media CaptureOver the course of the war, Ukraine’s heavy bomber drones have become so feared for their devastating nighttime attacks that Russian soldiers nicknamed them “Baba Yaga,” after the Slavic witch said to terrorize victims in the dark. These large multirotor aircraft can carry payloads of roughly 15 kilograms over distances of up to 20 kilometers and are equipped with infrared cameras for nighttime operations. Ukraine has used them extensively to drop munitions on Russian vehicles and positions, as well as to conduct resupply missions. Meanwhile, Russia has struggled to field a comparable drone platform. To fill this gap, Russia now appears to be capturing, repairing, and repurposing large numbers of Ukrainian Baba Yaga drones for use by its own forces.
Developing a heavy multirotor drone is significantly more challenging than producing the smaller quadcopters commonly seen on the battlefield. These large systems must generate enough lift to carry heavy payloads while maintaining stability, range, and endurance under combat conditions. The added payload weight creates flight-control challenges by shifting the drone’s center of gravity and increasing vibration during maneuvering and weapons release. Designers must also balance structural strength against weight, since heavier frames reduce payload capacity, range, and flight time. Furthermore, heavy drones consume large amounts of energy and remain constrained by current battery technology. In addition, they require resilient communications links and robust navigation systems to operate in contested electronic warfare environments.