Bulava UAS is a Ukrainian DeViRo strike-and-reconnaissance loitering munition developed during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War. DeViRo presents the baseline system as an 80 km, 3.6 kg-warhead middle-strike drone, while later reporting describes combat-unit fielding, Leleka-family reconnaissance support, remote-control upgrades, and a Bulava M2V beta configuration with greater range, endurance, and warhead weight.
Ukrainian forces field Bulava in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War as a DeViRo middle-strike loitering munition for rear-area fixed and moving targets; RFE/RL reported Ukrainian crew testing in spring 2025 and Ukrainska Pravda reported 2026 remote-control and M2V upgrade work for field crews.
Role detailsRFE/RL's Donbas Realii reporting places Bulava in Ukraine's middle-strike category: loitering munitions intended to reach beyond the immediate line of contact and attack targets that shape Russian logistics, air defense, electronic-warfare coverage, artillery, and command links.
| Use factor | Reader context | Source-backed relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Depth band | Middle-strike missions are described as sitting between close FPV use and strategic deep strike. | RFE/RL cited Ukrainian specialists describing targets tens to hundreds of kilometers from the line of contact, depending on mission and terminology. |
| Target set | Representative targets include artillery, electronic-warfare assets, air defense, logistics, and control nodes. | The same report frames these as rear-area systems whose loss can affect the battlefield even when they are not directly engaging infantry. |
| Terminal guidance | Target capture is important when radio links, terrain, masking, and jamming complicate operator control. | A Ukrainian servicemember told RFE/RL that Bulava prototype testing included camouflaged target approaches and target-lock behavior. |
| Upgrade path | Remote-control and M2V changes point to longer reach and safer crew operation. | Ukrainska Pravda reported remote-control options and a beta M2V configuration with 130 km potential strike range, 95-minute endurance, and 5 kg warhead weight. |
Public sources use Bulava for the DeViRo loitering munition family and identify Bulava M2V as an upgraded beta-test configuration reported in 2026.
| Configuration | Publicly reported status | Documented distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Bulava | Baseline public product configuration | DeViRo's product page describes an 80 km strike-and-reconnaissance loitering munition with a 3.6 kg warhead. |
| Bulava M2V | Upgraded beta-test configuration | Ukrainska Pravda reported 130 km potential strike range, 95-minute endurance, and a 5 kg warhead for the M2V upgrade. |
Bulava is described as part of a two-drone strike package, with a companion reconnaissance system handling target finding and designation.
| Compatible item | Item type | Compatibility evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Reconnaissance UAV | The Drone Office analysis says Bulava works with Leleka-100M reconnaissance drones so the Leleka family can find and designate targets before Bulava executes the strike; DeViRo also frames Bulava as carrying forward Leleka reconnaissance-drone combat experience. Sources: Ukraine vs Western drone costs: why the price gap is structural, Bulava product page |
The current Bulava package is built around a small launch team, a dedicated operator station, and a relayed reconnaissance-to-strike workflow.
| Topic | Source-backed detail |
|---|---|
| Launch team | The Drone Office describes Bulava as needing a light vehicle or two-person team for deployment, while later reporting says the launch team may still work 15-20 km from the front before moving away. |
| Control chain | A dedicated operator station works with the Bulava drone while a Leleka-family drone handles target finding and designation. |
| Communications | A MESH relay network extends communications range, and Starlink or internet-backed remote-control options have been reported as later additions. |
| Night use | Thermal imaging optics support night operations, matching the system's reported GPS-independent navigation and EW resistance. |
The Drone Office says Bulava design work began in 2022 as a wartime response to the lack of a Ukrainian loitering munition that could match the Lancet.
Sources: Ukraine vs Western drone costs: why the price gap is structural
The Drone Office reports that the first production Bulava units reached combat units in 2024, with wider deployment following later that year.
Sources: Ukraine vs Western drone costs: why the price gap is structural
RFE/RL reported Mykhailo Fedorov's June announcement that a Ukrainian Lancet analogue, the DeViRo Bulava strike-and-reconnaissance system, had appeared at the front.
Sources: RFE/RL Bulava middle-strike report
RFE/RL's Donbas Realii report cited a Ukrainian servicemember saying his crews had tested a Bulava prototype in spring 2025 and discussed the system's target-lock behavior against camouflaged targets.
Sources: RFE/RL Bulava middle-strike report
The Drone Office's April 2026 analysis describes Bulava at roughly 100 km range, 75-minute endurance, a 5 kg warhead, and an estimated $6,000-$10,000 unit cost.
Sources: Ukraine vs Western drone costs: why the price gap is structural
Ukrainska Pravda reported that DeViRo had added remote-control options to Leleka and Bulava and described Bulava M2V as a beta-test upgrade with longer range, greater endurance, and a heavier warhead.
Sources: Ukrainian Leleka and Bulava drones get remote control function
