Russia Likely Shot Down One of Its Own Rare Combat Drones to Try to Stop It from Falling into Enemy Hands, UK Intel Says

A Russian heavy-combat drone that crashed in Ukraine this month was shot down by Russia, likely in an effort to stop it from falling into Ukrainian hands, the UK's Ministry of Defense said.

Early this month, footage began circulating on social media of an aircraft believed to be one of Russia's rare S-70 Okhotnik-B (Hunter) drones falling out of the sky over Ukraine.

Its wreckage landed in Kostyantynivka, a city close to the front line in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region.

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Samuel Bendett, an expert on drones and Russian defense with the Center for Naval Analyses, told Business Insider last week that the apparent loss of the drone was a "significant win" for Western intelligence.

"Presumably it has top resources and investments, materials and products, including microelectronics and other key components," he said.

The fact that there are so few S-70s means the loss could also slow its development, though Russia is unlikely to stop it altogether, he added.

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