France delivers new OSKAR kamikaze drone to Ukraine

Ukrainian troops have received a new loitering munition, the MV-25 OSKAR, developed by France’s KNDS France in partnership with DELAIR and EOS Technologie, according to a report from Oboronka.

The weapon is part of the MATARIS family of UAVs and has already been deployed for operational testing by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The MV-25 OSKAR is engineered for strikes against infantry and lightly armored vehicles. Equipped with a 550-gram high-explosive fragmentation warhead, the drone can operate at a range of up to 25 kilometers and stay airborne for as long as 45 minutes. First field tests were conducted in June 2024, and early feedback from Ukrainian forces has been positive, the report said.

The system is compact and easily deployable, requiring no prepared runway or launch infrastructure. Its low radar signature and encrypted, jam-resistant communications channel allow for stable navigation even without GPS signal — a critical feature for modern battlefield conditions.

According to the developers, the entire project went from concept to deployment in just two years. Its modular design is tailored to Ukraine’s operational needs, offering flexibility and reduced logistics burden in front-line environments.

In a related development, French automaker Renault is in discussions with the French Ministry of Defense about establishing drone production facilities in Ukraine. No official decision has been made, but Renault is reportedly awaiting further guidance from defense officials following preliminary talks.

Sources suggest that Renault may cooperate with a smaller defense firm to set up manufacturing operations at a location far from the front line. These UAVs could be used by both Ukrainian and French armed forces, the report added.

The MV-25 OSKAR’s field introduction marks another example of how Ukraine is accelerating its integration of Western unmanned systems to address evolving battlefield threats from Russia’s ground and air forces.