Russia has started deploying a fully autonomous variant of its Molniya strike drone in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, a development confirmed by Ukrainian defense adviser Serhii Beskrestnov on July 3. The drones navigate and strike targets independently using onboard cameras and computing systems, no control antennas required.
The crypto pipeline funding Russian drones
Pro-Russia groups have raised over $8.3 million through digital assets to fund drone purchases and components since 2022, according to Chainalysis data. That figure spans everything from individual FPV drone kits to the more sophisticated autonomous systems now being fielded.
Two sanctioned Russian entities sit at the center of this funding web. The OKO Design Bureau was sanctioned in May 2024, while KB Vostok followed in August 2024. Both have solicited funds via digital currencies, using the pseudonymous nature of blockchain transactions to work around international financial restrictions.
What makes the Molniya different
