- Russia is testing ammunition that splits apart to confront small drones
- Russian testing found separated elements reaching critical components inside drones
- The ammunition fits standard rifles instead of requiring specialized counter-drone weapons
The Russian military is developing a multi-bullet cartridge designed to give standard Kalashnikov rifles a new way to engage small drones during combat.
The ammunition separates into several elements during flight, creating multiple projectiles from a single round fired through a compatible rifle.
Military expert Yury Knutov said the design is intended for troops who may encounter drones without having access to specialized firearms.
A multi-part cartridge for standard rifles
The reported cartridge uses the 5.45mm format and can be loaded into a standard AK-12 magazine without requiring a different rifle platform.
Its unusual construction keeps several elements together before firing, after which they separate while travelling toward the aerial target.
The concept has drawn comparisons with a Matryoshka doll because multiple components are contained within one projectile before separating in flight.
Pervy Tekhnichesky reported in April that Kalashnikov Concern had developed and tested the ammunition as a potential option for engaging small drones.
The reported trials included individual shots and bursts, providing an initial assessment of how the multi-part projectile performed against unmanned aircraft.
Some of the separated elements reportedly reached batteries, electronic boards, and power-related components during those tests.
Those components are critical to drone operation, making their reported involvement in the testing relevant to the cartridge’s intended aerial application.
The ammunition is therefore being developed specifically around small unmanned aircraft rather than as a general replacement for ordinary rifle rounds.
Different performance against personnel
The cartridge has different limitations when used against personnel, particularly when protective equipment is involved during an engagement.
Body armor can reduce its penetrating effect, while hitting an exposed area would still depend on accurate placement of the separated elements.
That distinction keeps the ammunition’s reported purpose focused on small aerial targets rather than conventional engagements involving protected ground personnel
“Our specialists have made bullets that separate into several parts, which are used against drones,” said Yury Knutov, a military expert.
“You just need two magazines, one loaded with regular bullets, the other with these special multi-bullets.”
Internal testing reportedly showed that components reached internal drone parts, but that does not establish overall battlefield effectiveness.
As drone warfare continues expanding across the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, new countermeasures keep emerging from both sides of the front line.
Military analysts frequently propose innovative solutions on paper, yet battlefield conditions often reveal weaknesses that laboratory testing simply cannot anticipate.
The new multi-bullet promises theoretical advantages that still require genuine combat validation before earning credibility.
Until Russian forces deploy this ammunition extensively under real combat pressure, its actual reliability and effectiveness in battle cannot be ascertained.
Independent verification, therefore, remains essential before military observers can responsibly assess whether this technology delivers meaningful battlefield advantage.
