LUGANSK, August 4. /TASS/. The Astra-PVO interceptor drone has been developed by repair company specialists of the Russian Battlegroup West’s 20th Combined Arms Army to neutralize Ukraine’s jet-powered fixed-wing strike drones, a representative of the unit told TASS.

The drone’s maximum speed is over 500 km/h.

"It takes off vertically, like an FPV drone. It has three operation regimes in which the drone’s camera can be set in vertical, 45-degree, and rocket modes. It has excellent speed, which is a major advantage," the source said.

The Astra-PVO can destroy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by kinetic energy or by a warhead. The drone’s maximum speed is up to 560 km/h. According to its creators, the interceptor's speed potential can be realized by equipping the drone with AI.

There is also the drone’s Astra-KZ version with a screw-in munition from a hand-held anti-tank rocket launcher to strike Ukrainian military equipment and fortifications. The drone will soon begin trials in the special military operation zone.