The Russians managed to strike again with the Zala Lancet kamikaze drone, one of the most advanced weapons Britain has sent to Ukraine. However, footage that has now emerged shows that the damage is minor and that the Stormer HVM system used to launch the Starstreak anti-aircraft missiles will soon be back in action.

A lancet strike by a drone on the Stormer systemPhoto: Photo collage

In March, the Russians first managed to hit the British HVM Stormer system, which was used to launch Starstreak anti-aircraft missiles. Then, on May 7, new images emerged of what appeared to be a Zala Lancet kamikaze drone attack.

Video footage of the damaged car has also now appeared, and the damage can be better analyzed.

According to preliminary reports, damage to the Stormer HVM system is minor, as the Russian kamikaze drone hit the vehicle at a very sharp angle, and the blast jet largely “shaved” the vehicle without penetrating the armor.

The Twitter account Ukraine Weapons Tracker, which tracks the types of weapons used during the war between Russia and Ukraine, says the system will soon be back in service after repairs.

Stormer vehicles with StarStreak anti-aircraft missiles, which Great Britain sent to Ukraine

Great Britain sent six special Stormer HVM (High Velocity Missile) armored vehicles as early as summer 2022.

The Stormer HVM systems use short-range Martlet anti-aircraft missiles or triple-munition Starstreak missiles already in use by Ukrainian fighters on man-portable launchers.

The British system can “see” and hit enemy aircraft at a distance of up to 18 kilometers.

ZALA KYB and Lancet kamikaze drones used by Russia

The most used kamikaze drones in Russia are called ZALA KYB or Lancet, they are a type of “homeless munitions” – remotely piloted aircraft that can stay in the air for a long time and deliberately crash into groups of enemies or military equipment.

ZALA KYB drones are produced by Zala Aero, a subsidiary of the Kalashnikov Group. They can carry up to 3 kg of cargo (sensors and explosives), fly below the radar, with an autonomy of more than half an hour, a range of about 40 km and can reach a speed of 130 km/h.

Zala Aero also manufactures drones Lancet hall, a newer model that still has a range of about 40 km, but with more configurations available and can carry between 1 kg and 3 kg of explosives. The Lancet model is said to have a dive speed of over 300 km/h, which is much higher than other kamikaze models.