General Cherry AIR interceptor drones downed more than 1,000 Russian Molniya UAVs in December: video

In December 2025, Ukrainian forces shot down more than 3,000 Russian Molniya-type kamikaze drones. Every third interception was carried out by the General Cherry AIR interceptor drone.

General Cherry reported this in a press release, citing official data from the Delta system. The manufacturer notes that its interceptor maintains leadership in the number of destroyed aerial targets among similar solutions.

Molniya is a Russian fixed-wing kamikaze UAV made from low-cost materials such as plywood, plastic, and cardboard. As a result, it has a low radar signature, making it difficult to detect with traditional air defence systems.

The Molniya drone has a flight range of approximately 30–40 kilometres and a warhead weighing between 2 and 7 kilograms of explosives. The UAV is actively used both for strike missions and for reconnaissance and fire adjustment, particularly over frontline settlements.

Molniya UAVs appear in a variety of configurations. Recorded variants include aircraft equipped with thermite incendiary mixtures, thermal imaging cameras and AI modules, as well as platforms used to deliver FPV drones over longer distances.

Defender Media recently reported that General Cherry has developed a new interceptor drone, General Cherry AIR Speed, a more compact and faster version of the AIR model.