Russia has started to mount R-60 air-to-air guided missiles together with launchers on the Shahed drones it uses against Ukraine, a defense website has reported.
Ukraine’s militarnyi.com website posted pictures of a downed drone carrying the missile, which is designed for close-range engagement of aircraft.
The site said it is likely Russia intends to use the missiles to attack planes and helicopters hunting unmanned aircraft such as the Shahed.
The supersonic missiles, which date back to the Soviet era, have an infrared homing head that precludes the need for radar to engage targets, militarnyi reported, adding that the development increased the risk to Ukrainian aircraft.