Kalashnikov, the maker of the world’s most common assault rifle, said on Friday it was launching a new unit to produce kamikaze drones, one of the key weapons used in the war in Ukraine.

After Ukrainian forces used Western, Israeli and Turkish drones with deadly effectiveness in the first months of the war, Russia began using Iran’s Shahed drones in an attempt to increase its own production.

“Kalashnikov” is starting a new production of drones, the largest Russian manufacturer of automatic weapons and guided artillery, based in Izhevsk, said in a statement.

The new Kalashnikov division will focus on the production of such kamikaze drones, which can stand in standby mode for a certain time and attack only after the target is detected.

“The main task of the unit is the production of complexes with guided ammunition. The complexes are designed for high-precision destruction of individual and group ground targets of the enemy at a distance.”

Kalashnikov, named after Mikhail Kalashnikov, creator of the AK-47 assault rifle, will also produce launchers, control technologies and R&D.

“In 2024, we will be able to several times increase the number of unmanned aerial vehicles that are produced in our traditional niche – kamikaze and reconnaissance drones,” – said the president of “Kalashnikov” Alan Lushnikov, without giving figures.

Drones used by the US in the former Yugoslavia

First used by the United States of America in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, drones have become an essential tool for the armed forces of every major power, gathering intelligence and destroying targets.

Ukraine said on Friday that Russia had launched 31 drones against it overnight, while Moscow said two drones struck the southern Russian city of Krasnodar.

Last month, President Vladimir Putin said Russia’s drone industry could soon be worth more than $12 billion if a plan to ramp up production is implemented.

Putin called for an increase in the production of drones. First Vice Prime Minister Andriy Belousov said that by the end of 2026, Russia should produce 18,000 drones per year.

Follow the latest events of the 457th day of the war in Ukraine LIVETEXT on HOTNEWS.RO.