Russian suicide UAV crews were tasked with hunting down and destroying Ukrainian tanks, paving the way for infantry to encircle Avdeevka, a strategic stronghold in Donetsk.
In the basement of a destroyed house in Donetsk province, the atmosphere feels more like an internet cafe than the front line. Several Russian soldiers wear virtual reality goggles and use game controllers, occasionally exchanging brief sentences.
The screen in front of them showed images of fields and forests, then industrial zones and high-rise buildings in the city of Avdeevka. The image quality degraded several times, and even lost signal completely for a few seconds.
An officer radioed, ordering the suicide drone crew to find the tank that was firing at Russian infantry and destroy it as soon as possible.
Ukrainian tanks are seen being attacked by Russian suicide drones near Avdeevka in video released last week. Video: RIA Novosti
"I was a shock soldier for 6 months, many times experiencing the terrible feeling of being attacked by enemy T-72 and T-80 tanks. However, sitting here is not easier. The psychological pressure is very high, we only have a few minutes to detect and attack the target," said a soldier nicknamed Bledny while piloting a suicide UAV.
Bledny is the most experienced suicide UAV operator in the unit, with about 400 sorties and hitting dozens of different targets.
Large reconnaissance UAVs or drones often transmit target coordinates to their operators, allowing them to quickly deploy aircraft to attack the enemy. However, there are still cases where Russian soldiers have had to operate suicide UAVs completely independently because Ukrainian forces have interfered with the signal transmissions from reconnaissance equipment.
"We are always protected by anti-UAV teams. This area is only a few kilometers from the Ukrainian army positions and very close to the gray zone between the two sides. Anything can happen," said Orel, Bledny's teammate.
Bledny spotted two Ukrainian tanks hastily leaving the battlefield after the shelling. "It is very difficult for enemy crews to survive against UAVs with shaped charge anti-tank warheads. They cannot hide on the battlefield, and the limited visibility inside the tank also prevents them from determining which direction the attack is coming from," the Russian officer said.
Russian officials said the Ukrainian army continuously sent reinforcements and reserve soldiers to the Avdeevka stronghold to counter enemy attacks.
Drones carrying armor-piercing shaped charge warheads were deployed by Russia near Avdeevka. Photo: RIA Novosti
"Many enemy soldiers seemed untrained, they moved very openly and without any camouflage. We destroyed four tanks, six pickup trucks and a howitzer in just a few hours without any reconnaissance equipment," Bledny said.
These raids without UAV spotters are what Russian soldiers call “free hunting.” If they cannot spot a primary target, such as an armored vehicle or troop concentration, they will switch to secondary targets, such as antenna masts or surveillance cameras.
"The Ukrainian army used to fight very effectively. They deployed a dense network of eyes and ears with a series of reconnaissance cameras, allowing tanks to freely approach and directly fire at our defense lines. By mid-summer, suicide UAVs gradually changed this, the enemy was pushed back many kilometers and had to hide their weapons in underground bunkers," Orel said.
Avdeevka is a key Kiev-controlled town north of the regional capital of Donetsk, with a population of around 30,000 before the fighting began. Moscow controls the city's north, south and east, leaving Ukrainian defenders only able to approach the city from the west.
However, Avdeevka is still considered a stronghold, as the Ukrainian army has built and reinforced its defenses here since 2014 after fighting with separatist militias. Avdeevka's network of underground tunnels and bunkers is capable of withstanding heavy bombing and artillery fire.
Russian soldiers prepare to deploy a reconnaissance UAV near Avdeevka. Photo: RIA Novosti
In addition to explosive-carrying drones, reconnaissance UAV operators also play an important role in Russia's efforts to tighten the siege at Avdeevka.
"We are not spreading our equipment, we are focusing on a specific target," said the soldier, nicknamed Bely, pointing to his phone screen. "Automatic grenade launchers are firing at a fire nest 1.5 kilometers away. If you look closely, you can see many enemy gunmen hiding in the compound."
The first shells fell on the roof. Bely's UAV crew was responsible for correcting the trajectory and monitoring the movements of the Ukrainian troops.
The proximity to the front line puts UAV crews in constant danger, vulnerable to attack at any time. They often travel by car and must camouflage their vehicles as soon as they stop.
"We had less than 15 minutes to assemble the drone and launch it, then immediately move to another location. The enemy did not hesitate to use HIMARS rocket artillery to destroy the UAV batteries. Three of our comrades were recently killed when a missile hit their vehicle as they were leaving their position," said a soldier codenamed Grom.
Grom was tasked with setting up the UAV's operating frequency on two laptops, while his teammates assembled the nearly 20kg aircraft. It was capable of reconnaissance for hours in areas dozens of kilometers from the front line.
Location of the city of Avdeevka. Graphics: RYV
"In addition to troop and ammunition routes, we also look for artillery positions, tank shelters and troop concentrations. The Ukrainian army is very clever and uses many measures to conceal its forces," Grom said.
However, the powerful camera system of modern drones allows the operator to detect the smallest details to identify the target. The coordinates are marked and transmitted to the command post, before it is attacked by a variety of firepower, from 82mm mortars to 500kg guided bombs.
Vu Anh (According to RIA Novosti , Reuters )
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