News Feed, Germany, Drones, Tech, AI, Western aid, Ukraine

Germany to provide Ukraine with 4,000 AI-powered 'Mini-Taurus' drones, Bild reports

by Martin Fornusek November 18, 2024 1:26 PM 2 min read

UKRAINE - 2024/06/27: In this photo illustration, a Helsing AI logo of a German defence artificial intelligence start-up is seen on a smartphone and on a pc screen. (Photo Illustration by Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

This audio is created with AI assistance

Ukraine is set to receive new German-developed AI-powered kamikaze drones in the coming weeks, the German tabloid Bild reported on Nov. 18.

The German government is reportedly funding a contract concluded in September between the Munich-based tech defense firm Helsing and Ukraine for the supply of 4,000 attack drones.

Drones are an increasingly vital capability on Ukrainian battlefields. Russia has widely used kamikaze drones like Iranian Shaheds to target Ukrainian cities and infrastructure or domestically-made Lancets against Kyiv's troops.

The previously top-secret high-tech drones have been nicknamed "Mini-Taurus" in reference to Germany's powerful cruise missiles, which Berlin refused to supply to Ukraine.

According to Bild's source, the drone can "orient" itself in the terrain and is resistant to GPS jamming. After the operator orders a strike on a target, the aerial vehicle can fly to it independently, even when the radio connection is lost.

#Scoop
Germany delivers 4.000 “#MiniTaurus” strike drones to Ukraine.
Comparable to the American SwitchBlade and the Russian Lancet, the “Helsing” product is cheaper, can fly longer and uses terrain matching AI for its entire cruise and terminal guidance.
All exclusive details⤵️ https://t.co/1kFDzkSTQt
— Julian Röpcke🇺🇦 (@JulianRoepcke) November 18, 2024

The drone boasts four times the range of kamikaze drones used by the Ukrainian military and carries warheads powerful enough to destroy Russian tanks, the outlet writes. It is also said to be comparably cheaper than foreign equivalents, like U.S.-made Switchblades or Russian Lancets.

The weapons are reportedly being tested and improved "under real operational conditions" in eastern Ukraine. Full-scale deliveries are expected in December, with hundreds to be delivered per month.

The supply of the new drones was confirmed for the outlet by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. In the wake of the latest Russian mass attack against Ukraine on Nov. 17, the minister told Bild he was "very happy that the delivery of these AI-powered strike drones is starting right now."

Helsing signed a memorandum with Ukraine on cooperation in the field of defense technology in February 2024. The company has been active in Ukraine since 2022.

In October, France announced that it would deliver newly developed Colibri project kamikaze drones to Kyiv, further boosting Ukraine's drone capabilities.

Author: Martin Fornusek

Three years of reporting, funded by our readers.

Millions read the Kyiv Independent, but only one in 10,000 readers makes a financial contribution. Thanks to our community we've been able to keep our reporting free and accessible to everyone. For our third birthday, we're looking for 1,000 new members to help fund our mission and to help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.

Three years. Millions of readers. All thanks to 12,000 supporters.

It’s thanks to readers like you that we can celebrate another birthday this November. We’re looking for another 1,000 members to help fund our mission, keep our journalism accessible for all, and prepare for whatever 2025 might bring. Consider gifting a membership today or help us spread the word.

Help us get 1,000 new members!

Become a member Gift membership

Comments

News Feed

10:36 PM

Russia preparing to break through to southern Donetsk Oblast, military says.

"The enemy is trying to break through to the south of Donetsk region, where Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts meet," Vladyslav Voloshyn, the spokesperson for the Ukrainian military's Southern Command, said on Nov. 24.

9:27 PM

Air defense systems can counter Russia's Oreshnik missile, Zelensky says.

"The world has air defense systems capable of countering such threats," Zelensky said, referring to Russia's new Oreshnik ballistic missile. Experts are currently analyzing the wreckage of the weapon, he said.

8:44 PM

Trump's top security pick calls for end to escalation in Ukraine.

"We need to restore deterrence, restore peace, and get ahead of this escalation ladder, rather than responding to it," Mike Waltz, Trump's nominee for national security adviser, said on Nov. 24.

8:07 PM

Video

Russia’s ballistic missile test and Musk’s mockery of Zelensky | Ukraine This Week.

7:39 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine has lost over 40% of territory previously gained in Kursk incursion, Reuters reports

7:29 PM

Business

The Week Ahead: Key Developments Impacting Global Politics & Markets

7:01 PM

150,000 Ukrainian IDPs have returned to occupied regions, MP says.

Inadequate support from the state is part of what prompts people to return to Russian-occupied areas, lawmaker Maksym Tkachenko said.

5:01 PM

Russian troops kill 2 civilian women, injure man in Donetsk Oblast's Toretsk, prosecutors say.

According to the report, at around 6 p.m. on Nov. 21, Russian soldiers entered an apartment in a residential area of Toretsk and "deliberately" opened fire with automatic weapons on three civilians.

2:30 PM

Russia recruits hundreds of Yemeni mercenaries to fight in Ukraine, FT reports.

Russia has recruited hundreds of mercenaries from Yemen to fight in its war against Ukraine, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Nov. 24.

12:00 PM

Russia attacked Ukraine with over 800 KAB bombs, 460 drones, 20 missiles this week, Zelensky says.

Over the past week, Russia has launched over 800 KAB-guided aerial bombs, nearly 460 attack drones, and more than 20 missiles, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov. 24.

10:20 AM

Ukraine downs 50 of 73 Russian drones in overnight attack, Air Force says.

Ukraine shot down 50 of the 73 drones launched by Russia overnight on Nov. 24, the Air Force reported. There have been no reports of casualties or damage.

10:10 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 730,740 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 9,423 tanks, 19,209 armored fighting vehicles, 29,864 vehicles and fuel tanks, 20,765 artillery systems, 1,254 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,004 air defense systems, 369 airplanes, 329 helicopters, 19,366 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

7:50 AM

Nearly 22,000 civilians have been evacuated from Kharkiv Oblast in 6 months, governor says.

"We are continuing evacuation efforts, bringing both children and adults to safety," Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov said on air.

6:37 AM

Taiwan’s former president urges US to prioritize aiding Ukraine over Taiwan, Politico reports.

"A Ukrainian victory will serve as the most effective deterrent to future aggression," former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said during the Halifax International Security Forum on Nov. 23.

4:58 AM

Mediazona confirms identities of almost 80,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine.

As Vladimir Putin boasted the new Oreshnik nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile, sparking renewed fears of nuclear escalation, an independent Russian outlet, Mediazona, reported nearly 2,700 additional Russian military deaths in Ukraine over the past two weeks.

2:48 AM

North Korean missiles with Western parts fuel Russian attacks on Ukraine, CNN reports.

In 2024, Russia launched around 60 North Korean KN-23 missiles, accounting for nearly one-third of the 194 ballistic missile strikes tracked by Ukraine’s Air Force.

1:00 AM

Zelensky criticizes Brazil, G20 leaders for showing 'weak position on war.'

President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Group of 20 (G20) leaders on Nov. 23 following the most recent summit in Brazil, adding that Brazilian President Lula da Silva, the current holder of the G20 Presidency, showed a "weak position" on Russia's war in Ukraine.

10:36 PM

Russia damaged over 300 port facilities, 20 foreign vessels in the past year, Zelensky says.

Russia has damaged 321 port infrastructure facilities, as well as 20 foreign merchant vessels since July 2023, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov. 23 at the International Conference on Food Security in Kyiv.

9:22 PM

West should 'not set red lines' on providing military support for Ukraine, French foreign minister says.

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told the BBC in an excerpt of an interview published on Nov. 23 that Western allies should "not set and express red lines" on providing Ukraine with military support against Russian aggression.

7:48 PM

Ukraine has lost over 40% of territory previously gained in Kursk incursion, Reuters reports.

Ukraine has lost over 40 per cent of the territory it previously gained in Russia's Kursk Oblast due to Russian counterattacks, Reuters reported on Nov. 23, citing a source in Ukraine's General Staff.

7:15 PM

Russia's Oreshnik missile likely had no explosives and didn't cause much damage, Bild analyst claims.

The Oreshnik nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile was likely a modification of Russia's RS-26 Rubezh missile, he said.

6:43 PM

Zaluzhnyi: Use of technological advancements will prevent 'serious' front line breakthrough until 2027.

"When robots began to appear massively on the battlefield, they made any movement of soldiers impossible. The inability to fight robots led to a standstill. We couldn’t move forward towards the Russians, and the Russians, accordingly, couldn’t move forward either," Zaluzhnyi said.

6:34 PM

Germany to provide Ukraine with 4,000 AI-powered 'Mini-Taurus' drones, Bild reports

Most popular

Russian state TV airs explicit photos of Melania Trump as they congratulate her husband on election victory

Better late than never: Israeli companies finally reach out to Ukraine to help fight Iranian drones

Musk mocks Zelensky for comments about Ukraine's independence

Investigation: Who helped Russians increase production of domestic attack drones despite sanctions

Alleged Russian plan sees Ukraine 'cut' into 3 parts, intelligence source says