Are Telegram bots powering attack drones against Ukraine?

Ukrainian experts are casting doubt on reports that Russia is using Telegram bots to control drones attacking Ukraine.

​​Russia’s Shahed drones – first imported from Iran in 2023 and now in their sixth modification – have been upgraded with machine-learning capabilities to better strike targets in Ukraine, according to a report by The Economist.

The latest generation of these drones may be controlled via bots on the Telegram messaging app, the report said, quoting Ukrainian engineers who work in a lab dissecting Russian drones.

One drone recovered in Ukraine contained a handwritten note – “presumably left by a sympathetic Russian engineer,” the report said – which hinted at a new control algorithm.

The note suggested that drones were transmitting flight data and live video feeds back to operators in real time using Telegram.

Today, rescuers have been working in more than 30 Ukrainian cities and villages following Russia’s massive strike. Wherever necessary, work continues – our emergency services are on the ground, providing assistance and supporting people. Thank you.

Nearly 300 attack drones were… pic.twitter.com/Mxx1a34kS2

undefined Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 25, 2025

The drones are described as relying on artificial intelligence and “piggybacking” on Ukrainian mobile networks rather than using GPS, which can be jammed. This means they’re “unfazed” by Ukrainian electronic warfare, The Economist wrote.

Ukrainian military engineer Serhiy Beskrestnov dismissed the report. “It’s very sad that a reputable media outlet is writing incorrect information,” he said in a post on Telegram.

According to Beskrestnov, Russian Shaheds are not operated via Telegram, do not have AI systems, and are incapable of transmitting video through local mobile networks.

“Shaheds still fly based on satellite navigation systems and jamming affects them,” he said.

“Once again, Shaheds are not remotely controlled, they have no such functionality – they are just trying to transmit their location.”

A senior Ukrainian official told The Economist that 95% of drones targeting Kyiv are still intercepted by air defence systems. However, drones that get through cause considerable damage.

Russia escalated its aerial campaign against Ukraine over the past week, launching its largest drone and missile assault since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. It fired 298 drones and 69 missiles across multiple regions, including Kyiv and Odesa, killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens more.

Ukrainian air defenses intercepted the majority of the projectiles, but debris caused significant damage to residential areas and infrastructure.

The following night, Russia launched a record 355 drones at Ukraine. Most were shot down or neutralized by electronic warfare systems. At least six people died during the assault.

The attacks prompted international condemnation, with US President Donald Trump calling his Russian counterpart “absolutely crazy.”