The model ‘Yolka’ is powered by AI and strikes kinetically with pinpoint accuracy
Published 13 Sep, 2026 19:37
The Russian Defense Ministry has released a new video showcasing the light drone interceptor Yolka (Spruce), which is being used extensively in the Ukraine conflict.
Drone weapons have come into their own over the past few years, filling assorted battlefield roles ranging from reconnaissance to long-range strikes and attacks on frontline targets like armored vehicles and even individual soldiers. Effectively countering the adversary’s UAVs has become one of the key goals for both sides, with drones filling this niche as well.
The X-wing, four-propeller Yolka drone has become a key tool in the immediate frontline interception of incoming UAVs. The hand-launched device weighs less than 1.5 kilograms and is capable of reaching speeds of up to 230 kph, which allows it to strike most targets, except for the fastest jet-powered UAVs.
Footage released by the ministry features Russian servicemen intercepting assorted incoming drones, including fixed-wing kamikaze and reconnaissance types. Yolka drones are equipped with an AI-powered targeting system that analyzes the target and steers the interceptor into its most vulnerable part, the ministry said.
“The drone has proven its worth. Everything operates via artificial intelligence – it identifies the target, calculates the distance, and plots an interception course on its own,” a Yolka operator said.
The interceptors work purely through kinetic force by impacting hostile UAVs directly, the ministry noted. Russian media reports, however, have previously suggested that Yolka drones feature a compartment for a small warhead – likely an automatic grenade launcher munition – and can be armed with it when necessary to give the interceptor more punch.
