Russia Deploys Experimental MiG-35 Fighters to Intercept Ukrainian Drones

Russian military aviation has deployed rare MiG-35 fighters to shoot down Ukrainian drones.

This was reported by the Soniashnyk Telegram channel, which is linked to Ukrainian aviation.

“Enemy MiG-29s and even MiG-35s have been involved for quite some time in repelling large-scale air raids as part of the air defense system deep in the rear,” the group said.

The MiG-35 fighter was unveiled in 2017, and a year later, Russia’s Defense Ministry signed a contract for its delivery.

As of October 2026, open sources indicate that four MiG-35S fighters and two MiG-35UB trainers are undergoing trial operation with the Russian Aerospace Forces.

Russia began receiving production MiG-35s in 2019 but has not launched large-scale serial production of the fighters.

The single-seat MiG-35 and two-seat MiG-35D are further developments of the MiG-29K/KUB and MiG-29M/M2 combat aircraft.

The MiG-35 is equipped with upgraded RD-33MK engines with a service life of up to 4,000 hours.

The aircraft’s active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar can track up to 30 aerial targets simultaneously at ranges of up to 160 km and engage the six most dangerous targets.

Its main air-to-air weapons include:

• R-73 — a short-range missile.
• R-77 (RVV-AE) — a medium-range radar-guided missile.
• R-27 — a family of medium- and extended-range missiles. Compatibility with specific variants depends on the aircraft’s configuration.

These capabilities also allow the aircraft to detect drones.

Ukrainian forces use MiG-29 fighters armed with R-60 missiles to shoot down Russian drones.

Source: Militaryni