Souvenirs Made from Downed Russian Drone Raise Funds for Ukraine’s Defenders

Ukrainian company Fuselage Creations has made a business of converting fragments of downed Russian military aircraft into souvenirs which are used to raise funds for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).

Their latest offering is limited edition key chains made from parts of the Russian Sukhoi S-70 “Okhotnik-B” (Hunter-B) classified unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV/drone) that was brought down by its accompanying Su-57 (NATO: Felon) fighter escort when it failed during an operational test flight on Oct. 5.

The S-70 program was initiated by Sukhoi in 2011 and further developed at the Chkalov Aviation Plant based in Russia’s Novosibirsk. It was touted as Russia’s most advanced unmanned combat system but was considered likely to be a “rip-off” of the Boeing X-45 and Northrop Grumman X-47B programs of the early 2000s.

On Oct. 5, it was apparently being tested in its operational “wingman” role in coordination with manned aircraft to deliver precision-guided weapons. The two aircraft were believed to have set out from Russia’s Akhtubinsk Air Base located about 600 kilometers (375 miles) from the front line.

The Russian Ministry of Defense had released the video of a Sept. 27 test flight of the S-70 and the Su-57 operating in tandem.

Radio intercepts revealed that Russian operators had lost control of the drone, prompting a decision to shoot it down using one of the Su-57’s air-to-air missiles to prevent the “rogue” UCAV from falling into Western hands. The 20-ton robot aircraft crashed near Kostyantynivka, in the Donetsk region, on territory held by Ukrainian forces.

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The recovered wreckage included components from US, German, and Swiss manufacturers along with remnants of a FAB-250 UMPK D-30 guided bomb which suggests the bomb-carrying or delivery capability of the S-70 was being tested.

Fuselage Creations’ website lists more than 60 “products” made from parts and material from a wide range of Russian combat aircraft brought down over Ukraine since the February 2022 full-scale invasion began. The resulting souvenirs include both unmodified bits of fixed and rotary wing aircraft and “presentation pieces” made from the skins of the downed aircraft. Prices range from between $100 and $1,000 depending on the “rarity” of each piece.

In the case of the S-70, a total of 770 keychains were made, each with its own unique serial number and priced at $191. The company voiced its gratitude to the AFU, who provided them with parts of the aircraft wreckage that they were able to repurpose. The keychains can be ordered from the Fuselage Creations/AirHub store website or from its city center shop for delivery anywhere in the world.