Ukrainian engineers have found evidence that Russia is using Telegram to control drones in real time, The Economist reported on Sunday, citing Ukrainian engineers.
According to the report, the discovery came after Ukraine recovered a downed Shahed drone, known in Russia as “Geran,” which contained a handwritten note allegedly left by a Russian engineer. The note detailed how the drone employs Telegram messaging bots to transmit live flight data and video feeds, enhancing operator control.
New Russian Shahed Drones Controlled via Telegram
Ukrainian engineers found a note inside a downed Russian Shahed drone detailing a new control system via Telegram bots, reportedly left by a sympathetic Russian engineer.
The bots send real-time flight data and video to the… pic.twitter.com/pzuXQCKlNa
— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 26, 2025
These upgraded Shahed drones reportedly rely on artificial intelligence and mobile networks for navigation instead of GPS, making them more resistant to signal jamming.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, dismissed the claim about Telegram-controlled drones but confirmed some Shahed drones have been remotely operated since last year: “They had cameras installed and were controlled remotely. No sensation – they are being shot down,” he wrote on Telegram.
Russia is escalating its aerial campaign against Ukraine, deploying increasingly advanced drones alongside a growing arsenal of ballistic missiles. Ukrainian aviation expert Kostiantyn Kryvolap told The Economist that Russia is expected to significantly ramp up both drone production and technological capabilities in the coming days.
On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Moscow had carried out its largest aerial and drone assault on Ukraine to date. The overnight attack included the launch of nine Kh-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95MS bombers, along with a record 355 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys, according to Zelenskyy.
The attack marked the third consecutive day of Russia’s large-scale aerial and drone assaults on Ukraine, coinciding with the largest prisoner exchange between the two countries.
Our air defense forces and rescuers were working all night. The Russian army launched the largest number of drones against our cities and communities since the beginning of the full-scale war — 355 attack UAVs, mostly “Shaheds.” There were also 9 cruise missiles. Sadly, there are… pic.twitter.com/5oXmv5zoy2
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 26, 2025
