WATCH the exploding suicide drone toys that recreate the deadly battlefields of Ukraine – and which Russian parents are giving their kids for Christmas.
The miniatures of the lethal Shahed drones – which can be equipped with real explosives – are touted as the “ideal gift for young patriots and future conquerors of the sky“.
The disturbing toys are being sold on Ozon, dubbed “Russia‘s Amazon“, and manufactures recommend they are suitable for children as young as three.
The toys, apparently produced by Russia‘s secretive drone unit Stalin’s Falcons, are styrofoam models of the kamikaze Shahed drones bringing misery upon the people of Ukraine.
Each has a slot in its nose where parents can insert a firecracker – though these must be bought separately.
When the model strikes a surface, the tiny pack of explosives detonates with a bang and sparks – as demonstrated by the promotional video
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The real-life Shaheds have become Russia’s signature kamikaze drones – which loiter over a target before crashing into it and exploding.
Each carries a devastating warhead of 30-50kg, and tens of thousands have been used to terroriseUkraine during Putin’s three-year invasion.
This toy version is specifically marketed at children, with 18 being the oldest recommended age.
They apparently offer a “fascinating historical experience”, and can develop “co-ordination, accuracy and imagination”.
The packaging is identical in design to that used on the website of the Stalin’s Falcons, which lists job vacancies in Russia’s armed forces.
It’s thought the toys could be part of Russia’s push to militarise young children.
Reviews of the product suggest young Russians have been enjoying the fake weapons.
One said: “Cool toy, my son is delighted. He ordered some firecrackers as an extra.”
Another read: “Great toy! Just like the real thing!”
In the Q&A section, some customers called for the manufactures to produce larger models.
Others asked whether models of Ukrainian infrastructure would also be provided, so their kids could practice attacks more realistically.
One even wrote: “When will the scale model of Kyiv be on sale?”
Responses to customer questions are signed off “Sincerely, Stalin’s Falcons,” suggesting they are written by the drone unit themselves.
Ozon told The Telegraph: “Ozon sells a wide range of consumer goods to the public. We do not specialise in military products, nor do we sell them.”
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“Any seller can offer their goods on our platform, provided that their sale is not prohibited under Russian law. Products that cannot be sold in Russia will not appear on our website. We carefully check the certificates of conformity and all necessary documents for all goods, especially children’s goods.”
“In the case of flammable goods, such as firecrackers, we also check safety certificates. For additional real-time verification of goods, we use algorithm-based storefront monitoring and we hide product cards if the seller cannot confirm their quality or safety.”
