Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Ilya Yevlash said on national television that Kyiv forces shot down a Russian drone “Forpost” over the Black Sea, Reuters reports.

Forpost drone, the Russian version of the Israeli IAI Searcher II UAVPhoto: album – Daniele Faccioli-Stocktrek Images / Album / Profimedia

“We don’t often shoot down a target like this, but we did – one of Forpost’s expensive strike drones,” he said, estimating its cost at $8 million.

Military publications describe Forpost as the Russian version of a reconnaissance drone that Israel has used for decades and is capable of monitoring us at an altitude of 5 km continuously for 16 hours.

Natalia Gumenyuk, spokeswoman for the group of forces in southern Ukraine, said that Russia has increased its use of drones after the Ukrainians managed to shoot down at least two A-50 reconnaissance planes.

“Over the past day, we have observed more than 200 reconnaissance drones in our area of ​​responsibility from Odesa to Zaporizhzhia,” she told national television.

“Today there were a little less of them, but the enemy continues reconnaissance. It is clear that they have to compensate for the A-50,” Humenyuk added.