Ukraine shoots down Russian 'ring' drone after operators initially mistook it for a UFO
Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian KVS drone with a circular wing on Oct. 8, 2026. The unusual design briefly prompted UFO jokes among operators before it was identified as a Russian weapon.
Footage released by the unit shows the Russian KVS drone shortly before its destruction, revealing a distinctive circular structure surrounding its body. The intercepted aircraft was identified as the Knyaz Vladimir Svyatoslavich, a relatively recent Russian strike platform developed by the Ushkuynik research center. Its appearance comes from a continuous circular wing enclosing the main fuselage, rather than the conventional straight wings used by many aircraft.
The configuration prompted Ukrainian operators to joke about encountering something extraterrestrial before confirming that the object was another Russian weapon. “What was that? Probably a UFO! It came out of nowhere... Oh, wait, it did fall,” the Birds of Magyar Brigade wrote.
The KVS uses a 10-inch frame and is intended to conduct strikes over intermediate distances, although its precise operational range remains unspecified. Its circular aerodynamic structure is designed to support vertical departures while allowing the aircraft to transition into horizontal flight with improved energy efficiency. Unlike conventional multirotor aircraft, which rely on continuously powered propellers for lift, the configuration seeks aerodynamic assistance during forward movement through the air.
The destroyed KVS belongs to a collection of unmanned aircraft developed by Ushkuynik, which also manufactures reconnaissance and fiber optic systems. Among its other products is the Knyaz Veshchiy Oleg, an intelligence-gathering aircraft used to observe distant positions and adjust artillery fire.
Ukrainian intelligence disclosed in April that the reconnaissance platform reportedly operates across distances reaching 45 kilometers, with flights lasting about 3.5 hours. The aircraft can reportedly reach 130 km/h, giving Russian operators another option for conducting surveillance missions beyond immediate frontline positions.
Ukrainian military reports claim to have intercepted Ushkuynik reconnaissance drones, although the available information does not establish an overall success rate for these operations. On February 18, operators serving with the Dnipro-1 Regiment of the Liut United Assault Brigade reportedly intercepted a Knyaz Veshchiy Oleg. Another aircraft belonging to the same reconnaissance model was destroyed in January 2026 by personnel from Ukraine’s 225th Separate Assault Regiment. These incidents concern the Knyaz Veshchiy Oleg reconnaissance model rather than the circular-wing KVS strike drone, and do not establish how frequently either aircraft is intercepted, TechRadar reported, citing United24media.