Vladimir Tkachuk, general director of Russian drone manufacturer Uraldronzavod and developer of the Upyr FPV attack drone, was critically injured in a car bombing near Yekaterinburg on Wednesday, Aug. 5, Russian media reported, citing emergency services.An explosive device planted beneath his Mercedes detonated, leaving Tkachuk in intensive care in critical condition. Investigators have opened a criminal case for attempted murder, according to the Yekaterinburg news outlet E1.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.Developer of FPV drones used against UkraineThe Upyr is a Russian combat FPV drone that has been used by Russian forces in the war against Ukraine since 2023. Development of the drone began in Russia’s Sverdlovsk region, funded by private and volunteer initiatives.Tkachuk also runs the pro-war Russian Telegram channel “Povyornutye na voyne” (Obsessed With War), which has more than 660,000 subscribers.FPV drones on the front linesFPV (first-person view) drones have become a critical weapon on both sides of the war in Ukraine. These low-cost, maneuverable drones are typically used as kamikaze weapons, allowing operators to guide them directly into targets using a video feed transmitted to goggles or a screen.Russia has increasingly relied on domestically produced FPV drones to supplement its military capabilities amid Western sanctions that have restricted access to foreign components.The car bombing follows a pattern of targeted attacks against Russian military figures and defense industry personnel since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.