The Molniya (Lightning) is a simple, low-cost attack drone capable of operating dozens of kilometres deep into enemy territory. Russian Molniya drones are gradually pushing back what was until recently considered a relatively safe distance from the front lines.

The Molniya belongs to the class of aircraft-type attack drones, commonly referred to as “wings” by the Ukrainian military. In this context, it occupies a middle ground between conventional first-person view (FPV) quadcopters and larger loitering munitions, such as the Lancet, which serve a different purpose in terms of range, accuracy and cost.