"Airborne anxiety" grips Putin, Russian President's guards with drone in 'nuclear' suitcase

During a recent visit to St. Petersburg, members of Russian President Vladimir Putin's security guard were filmed using what appears to be a new FPV drone specifically designed to combat drones that could attack the Kremlin boss.

The drone mounted on a bag, which was carried by a member of Putin's security, attracted attention due to its unusual size and specific configuration.

According to eyewitnesses, one of Putin's security guards held the drone very close to the president. Although he tried to shield the device from public view, its distinctive X-shaped shape was difficult to hide.

This new weapon is believed to be a pedestrian FPV interceptor drone, with a transverse arrangement of four engines and a dual guidance system. The drone is equipped with a thermal imaging camera and a television system for tracking targets, allowing it to operate in reduced visibility conditions, including bad weather and darkness.

The system is initially operated manually, but once it identifies a target, it switches to autonomous flight. The operator launches the drone, directs it towards the target, and the drone then automatically tracks and neutralizes the target.

Interestingly, the system does not use standard radio frequencies, but a specially designated channel for commands and telemetry, which makes it difficult for enemy electronic warfare systems to find the operator.

Although Russia's Federal Security Service (FSO) has not officially commented on the drone, the presence of such a system suggests that Moscow is introducing portable, short-range anti-drone devices as part of the close protection of senior state officials - perhaps in response to the growing threat from the use of small drones in cities.

The drone was in Putin’s vicinity at a time when Russian security leadership is expressing concern about the increasing frequency of drone attacks on Russian soil. Ukraine has repeatedly used FPV drones for tactical strikes deep inside Russia, including attacks on infrastructure and military targets. A mobile system in the hands of presidential security could mean a shift to faster and more mobile methods of defense.

This is the first known case of such a system being used to protect the Russian top leadership. Analysts say the presence of this technology shows that the Kremlin considers the threat from the air to be very real - even in cities that were until recently considered safe. (A2 Televizion)