The strike was carried out by the Phoenix border guard unit during an operation in the east of the country.
It is one of the most expensive drones in service on the Russian side. A Merlin-VR, worth $300,000 (around 250,000 euros), was destroyed by Ukrainian forces during an operation led by the Phoenix border guard unit in the east of the country. The machine, little produced, plays a key role in identifying Ukrainian positions and guiding Russian artillery.
Images of the destruction of the drone were broadcast by several Ukrainian units specializing in drones.
Used for tactical reconnaissance missions
Presented for the first time in 2021, the Merlin-VR is a high-end Russian drone used for tactical reconnaissance missions. Producing just one of these devices costs more than $300,000 and each of its destructions is reported on the Ukrainian side. The Ukrainian anti-aircraft gunners of the 63rd brigade and the gunners of the 45th separate artillery brigade were, for example, pleased to have destroyed one of these drones in April 2025, as relayed by L’Indépendant.
The drone is mainly used to locate Ukrainian positions, track troop movements and correct Russian artillery strikes in real time. Equipped with an electro-optical module with a thermal camera, the weapon is therefore a valuable tool that helps improve the precision of attacks.
According to data relayed by the Ukrainian site specializing in weapons Defense Express, the Merlin-VR can reach an altitude of 5 km, detect its targets up to 30 km away, cover distances of up to 600 km and remain in flight for up to 10 hours. Capabilities that allow it to monitor large areas of the Ukrainian front.
In total, more than a dozen devices of this type have been destroyed since the start of the war in Ukraine. Losses of several million dollars for Russia therefore.
The announcement of the destruction of the device comes as the drone war is gaining momentum. On the night of May 13, more than 650 drones and 56 missiles targeted Ukraine in a massive nighttime attack, Volodymyr Zelensky said. According to the Ukrainian president, the offensive left one dead and around thirty injured, 48 hours after the expiration of a truce with Russia. One of the drones hit a nine-story residential building, “an entire part of which was completely destroyed.”
