All sorts of munitions have been dropped from drones ranging from hand grenades to Molotov balloons to mortar rounds and even blocks of explosive. In this article/video, we’ll look at a couple of interesting examples of improvised munitions.
In early May an interesting short video was shared by a Ukrainian combatant showing a Fanta soft drink bottle filled with explosives and what appear to be ball bearings of different sizes. It’s hard to tell what sort of explosive has been used but the bottle is topped with a UZRGM grenade fuze.
Ordnance Lab made an interesting video a couple of weeks ago testing an approximate version of the Fanta bomb and found it to be fairly effective in terms of blast and fragmentation. Though their version looked to contain more ball bearings and they noted it weighed around 3kg.
The only other similar munition to surface was seen in a photograph that showed a box of Polish Kropla Beskidu water bottles which also appear to be filled with explosive materials and fuzed with standard UZRGM fuzes.
It’s unclear whether the grenades are designed for ground use or perhaps for dropping from drones. If the fill of the grenade is purely explosive then it would have a significant blast effect but minimal fragmentation – likely why the Fanta bottle example has been augmented with ball bearings.
There is also evidence of the simple use of directly using TNT blocks with UZRGM fuzes, with the Georgian Legion evidently dropping them from drones.
Old drinks cans have also been used to make improvised explosive devices. In early May a video showing a ‘Non Stop’ energy drink can being split open and filled with plastic explosives and ball bearings was shared. The can was then attached to a First Person View (FPV) drone and used against personnel in a Russian trench.
In June several short clips were shared featuring drinks cans with grenade fuzes. Two with UZRGM fuzes and one can with what appears to be a DVM fuze. The can could be augmenting a Bulgarian fragmentation grenade such as an AR-ROG or GHD/RGD series.
In July, Ryan O’Leary, a US volunteer in Ukraine, shared a photograph of 5 craft-made grenades constructed from plastic drinks bottles slipped into the base of Red Bull and Non Stop energy drink cans. O’Leary suggests that there is approximately 1-2 kg of RDX explosive inside. They are again topped with UZRGM fuzes and secured with tape.
So why are these munitions being made? Often when I cover improvised munitions people ask are the Ukrainians not receiving billions in aid? The answer to this is – they are. However, aid doesn’t always include all the types of munition you might want. Similarly, the combatants improvising these munitions may not receive the types of munitions they need – wartime logistics can be challenging. Additionally, the combatants producing these munitions may be looking for bombs with improved blast and fragmentation over what is available.
Update – 25/07/23:
Update – 27/09/23: A BBC Newsnight report featured a drone company attached to the 24th Brigade. A can-based improvised exposive device, designed to be dropped from a drone was featured.
Update 15/5/24: On 3 May a Ukrainian telegram channel shared a clip of a drone dropped munition attack on Russian infantry. The munition appears to be enclosed in a Pepsi can. The unit involved is claimed to be a drone unit of the National Guard’s 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade.
Update – 15/7/24:
In addition to bottles and cans packed with explosives, both sides have utilised bottles filled with incendiary mixtures. These have seen being dropped from drones on positions and vehicles.
Update – 28/5/25:
A member of the 6th Special Purpose Battalion of the 12th Special Purpose Brigade “Azov” used an DIY bottle bomb, as an enhanded blast grenade to demolish the front of a single story building during fighting near Toretsk.
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Bibliography:
UZRG-M Fuze, CAT-UXO, (source)
DVM Fuze, CAT-UXO, (source)
The Armourers Bench 