Vostok Design Bureau

Vostok Design Bureau (КБ «Восток») is a Russian design bureau registered in Ryazan. Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence (HUR) lists it in its War & Sanctions database as the “developer and manufacturer of Scalpel barrage munitions used in the war against Ukraine” (HUR).

The bureau announced the Scalpel loitering munition in 2023. It told the state news agency TASS in September that year that it would start production in October, and gave a speed of up to 120 km/h, a range of up to 40 km and a price of 300,000 roubles without the payload (Aviacionline). Ukrainian intelligence described the Scalpel in March 2026 as a smaller relative of ZALA’s Lancet, guided by an operator in real time (ArmyInform).

The United States sanctioned the bureau in August 2024, Ukraine in August 2025 and Canada in February 2026; HUR’s record shows it under sanctions in the EU, the UK, Switzerland, Japan, Australia and New Zealand as well. Ukraine’s August 2025 package named it alongside ZALA Aero among companies in Russia’s AI drone supply network (Euromaidan Press).

Its leadership, founding date and headcount have not been confirmed from a reliable source.