Russia Begins Using BM-35 and BM-70 Jet-Powered UAVs — Ukrainian Military Shows Their Destruction
Russian forces are using jet-powered variants of the BM-35 and BM-70 attack UAVs, which Ukrainian troops are already intercepting.
The 42nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, the 78th Separate Air Assault Brigade, and the 425th Skelia Separate Assault Regiment reported successful engagements.
In particular, on October 23, air defense missile unit operators of the 42nd Separate Mechanized Brigade released footage showing the destruction of a Russian BM-70 jet-powered attack UAV.
On October 19, operators of the Redneck unit of the 78th Air Assault Brigade showed the interception of a jet-powered BM-35 UAV.
The first FPV drone damaged the Russian UAV’s wing, but it continued flying. A second interceptor eventually destroyed the target.
BM-35 and BM-70 Jet-Powered UAVs
The 425th Skelia Regiment also reported intercepting BM-35 jet-powered UAVs. According to the military, Russian forces use these UAVs to strike vehicles, military equipment, and logistics routes.
According to the unit, jet-powered BM-35 UAVs can reach speeds of over 350 km/h, have a range of more than 200 km, and carry a 10 kg warhead.
No confirmed information currently exists on the specifications of the jet-powered version of the BM-70.
The standard BM-70 version is powered by a piston engine with a propeller, reaches speeds of 200–220 km/h and can carry a payload of up to 15 kg.
On August 15, Serhii Beskrestnov (‘Flash’) published a Russian TV report featuring a demonstration of the jet-powered BM-35.
The BM-35 was previously equipped with a two-stroke DLE petrol engine and a tractor propeller. The UAV has a delta wing and a video transmission system for target guidance.
In January 2026, Ukrainian troops found a Starlink satellite communications terminal on a downed BM-35 UAV, which was used to remotely control the drone.
Source: Defence Blog
