Russia may have a new answer to Ukraine's relentless drone campaign: a mysterious combat laser reportedly guarding strategic sites deep inside the country. Russian pro-military channels have released footage purporting to show the containerised weapon firing a visible “purple beam” at Ukrainian drones, with one blogger claiming several systems have already destroyed hundreds of targets. Those claims remain unverified. More significantly, a second-generation version is reportedly being prepared to engage faster threats, potentially including cruise missiles and tactical aircraft. Could Putin's experimental drone-killer eventually evolve into a weapon capable of threatening NATO aircraft?
E-Paper
