Video two rare drone Merlin-vr of the Russians, shot down in less than 30 minutes, says the Ukrainian army
Merlin drone. Photo source: Video Come Back Alive / X video
Ukrainian defense forces continue to use cheap FPV (“Person View”) for neutralizing the means of recognition and espionage of the Russian army, writes the Ukrainian Defense Express. The “Come Back Alive” Foundation has recently published a video recording that claims to show how one of the Ukrainian teams operating FPV intercepators breaks two Merlin Rusești drones in less than 30 minutes.
The Ukrainian team was equipped with FPV drones in the Dronopad (Donefall) project. The “Come Back Alive” Foundation states that, in total, over 12 Merlin type recognition drones have been destroyed since the beginning of the project.
Defense Express notes that, in this case, in video regulation two Merlin-VR pilot aircraft-experimental recognition drones considered rarely in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war appear.
Пам'ятаєте, був такий «мерлін», російський бпла Вартістю $ 300,000?
Сьогодні один із екіпажі «дронопаду» збив два таких дрони підряд протягом 30 вилин 🤯
Завдяки нашому проєкту та старанній роботі підрозділів вже понад 12 «Мерлінів» більше не лтатимуть українссео нео…. pic.twitter.com/7ujjpxwtb5
– повернись живим (@backandalive) April 25, 2025
The Melin-VR model was presented for the first time in the autumn of 2021 by its developer, the Institute for the Research of Modern Telecommunications Telecommunications Technologies. It is not yet known whether the series production of these drones has already been launched or how many units are in the service of the Russian army. With a load capacity of 6.5 kg, such a drone flies almost silent for 10 consecutive hours, at altitudes of up to 5 km, according to the manufacturer.
Merlin-VR is considered one of Russia's most expensive recognition drones, its price can reach $ 300,000, which means that all 12 Merlin drones reported are about $ 3.6 million for the Russian army.
Other Ukrainian units are keeping their own records about Merlin drone drones. For example, one was hit in January and one more at the beginning of April 2025. In both cases, they were intercepted by cheap FPV drones, according to Ukrainian forces.
However, Merlin-VR remains an unusual target for Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense units. The first confirmed breakdown dates back to the summer of 2022, and only five losses of this unique equipment have been visually confirmed: five destroyed and six other relatively intact, according to the Oryx Osint project. Often, the confirmation of the results is complicated by the fact that drones fall into the enemy territory.
The few Merlin-VR drone that arrived in the hands of the Ukrainians were carefully analyzed, especially inside. Ukrainian specialists have found that they have an ordinary engine instead of the “hybrid engine” and that they are equipped with Western electronic components, the quoted publication also notes.
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