Backpack-Mounted Interceptor UAV Seen at Russian Training Camp Shows New Counter-Drone Push

In a recent development from a Russian military training camp, a backpack-mounted interceptor UAV has been spotted, sparking discussions about Moscow’s accelerating innovation in counter-drone warfare. The system, carried like a rucksack, appears designed to give infantry units a portable way to intercept and neutralize enemy drones on the battlefield.

Military experts suggest this new device may function similarly to Russia’s existing Yolka and other interceptor drones, which are intended to collide with hostile UAVs or disrupt their operation. Unlike larger systems requiring vehicles or stationary setups, the backpack version offers high mobility, allowing soldiers to deploy drone defenses instantly in fast-changing combat zones.

The appearance of this system fits within Russia’s broader drive to expand its unmanned aerial arsenal. In recent years, the country has unveiled multiple interceptor platforms such as Skvorets-PVO, Kinzhal, BOLT, Krestnik-M, and Ovod-PVO, each with features like vertical take-off, AI-assisted targeting, and speeds of up to 300 km/h. The new backpack version may serve as a lighter complement for frontline troops.

The growing use of small, low-cost FPV drones in the Ukraine conflict has created an urgent need for compact and flexible countermeasures. Portable systems like this could play a key role in defending against drone swarms, reconnaissance UAVs, and loitering munitions that increasingly shape the battlefield.

While technical details such as range, guidance, and method of interception remain undisclosed, the introduction of a backpack-mounted drone underscores Russia’s rapid adaptation cycle in drone warfare—where new technologies move from concept to deployment within months.

This sighting highlights how the race between drones and counter-drones is reshaping modern warfare, with mobility and speed now as critical as firepower.