CBRNE event in Luhansk area, Ukraine on Mon 27th March 2023

Ukrainian border guards in Luhansk region were able to intercept a DJI quadcopter equipped with a skid system. The drone was carrying a K-51 gas grenade.

This is the first time border guards have succeeded in capturing a quadcopter carrying a K-51. Although the Russian army started actively using such grenades in 2015, when there was fighting for Donetsk airport.

Russian servicemen wanted to drop a K-51 on Ukrainian border guard positions using a DJI Mavic-series drone. Judging by the photos, it is a DJI Mavic 3.

The casing of the grenade is made of plastic but has a metal bottom. Inside there is an illegal powdery substance. Combustion of the fuse triggers a reaction inside the K-51. After increasing the pressure inside the grenade case, the metal bottom flies out and a cloud of chemical substance is dispersed.