Is Russia so desperate and short on capabilities that it is putting into operational use Chinese-made laser cannons—systems that Saudi Arabia reportedly sidelined and sent back for repairs after persistent failures?
Breaking developments this week came after pro-Kremlin Russian media released footage allegedly showing combat use of a Chinese-made Silent Hunter 3000 laser weapon against Ukrainian drones in the Belgorod region, near the border with Ukraine. The video, published in January 2026, appears to show a fixed laser system tracking an unmanned aerial vehicle, followed by scenes from a combat command post and the laser platform mounted on a rotating turret.
Russian outlets identified the operators as members of a special operations unit known as “Koshvnik,” reportedly deployed in Belgorod. According to these reports, the system successfully destroyed an enemy drone during an air-defense engagement.
Visual analysis suggests the weapon is a low-altitude laser air-defense system (LASS), commonly known as “Silent Hunter.” The platform was developed in China—likely by the Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics—and previously offered on export markets. It is designed for short-range air defense against small aerial targets, including drones.