Ukrainian Drones: The High-Stakes Game of Flying High and Fighting Low
Now here’s a delightful concoction: imagine CNN, a bunch of drones, and a military operation like something straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster — or perhaps just a high-budget episode of “The Office”! CNN surely had a front-row seat, spending two days with a special Ukrainian military intelligence unit hunting for a train loaded with Iranian missiles. It’s like a cross between *Mission Impossible* and a Mr. Bean sketch; the stakes are high, yet you can’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all.
So, what exactly happened? Well, CNN got an exclusive peek behind the curtain of Ukraine’s long-range UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) unit, known as the “power steering” — a name that sounds more like a car mechanic than a military unit, but there we are! Serge, one of the operators with a flair for the dramatic, claims he’s controlled over 500 long-range drone assaults on Russian territory since February 2022. That’s right, over 500! I mean, if he were playing *Call of Duty*, he’d be maxed out on levels and not even buying any extra lives!
On a chilly September night, CNN followed this unit as they prepared to launch more than 100 drones with one mission: find those Iranian missiles. And no, they weren’t just swarming some quaint Russian railway for a cheeky game of “How many drones does it take to catch a missile?” They were targeting strategic assets while keeping operational security tighter than a clam on a diet! You’ve got to appreciate the cloak and dagger here; it’s more secretive than your average Tinder date!
According to our Ukrainian friends, the mission was to take out train cars loaded with ammunition. And listen, drone warfare is the new rockstar of military strategy, taking center stage as traditional ground battles grow wearisome. Imagine switching from a marathon to an intense game of chess, where moves are calculated not just with strategy but by who’s got the latest remote-controlled gadgetry!
Now, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Russian air defenses are formidable and thwart many of these drone strikes. The report suggests that the Ukrainian unit’s success could soar from 50% to 95% if the West hands over some of those fancy new weapons. It’s like trying to win a game of cricket with a ping pong paddle; you’re good, but not that good!
The strategy involves employing bait drones to distract Russian defenses while their hefty payload drones swoop in like a sneaky fox at a hen party. The plan? Keep Russian air defenses guessing with a mixture of high-tech ruses and a bit of misdirection, akin to watching a magician pull a rabbit out of a hat, only the rabbit is a drone and the hat is… well, it’s a logistical nightmare!
But it doesn’t stop there! They’ve got an operation evaluation strategy that would give most tech companies a run for their money: human intelligence on the ground, social media intel from Russian Telegram groups, and satellite analysis. It’s probably more data-driven than your average dating app, and let’s be honest, do any of those actually get to the point?
In conclusion, this operation is a vivid reminder of the ongoing tug-of-war that defines modern warfare. Drones have transitioned from toys for tech enthusiasts to formidable weapons of international security — all while our little Serge is just trying to save the day with a joystick. It’s a brutal ballet of strategy, technology, and perhaps just a sprinkle of chaos! So, as we watch these drone antics unfold, one can’t help but awe at this new chapter in warfare — it’s high-tech, it’s high stakes, and above all, it’s highly entertaining.
Who knew the future would be less about tanks rolling towards one another and more about tiny flying contraptions delivering explosive surprises? As they say in showbiz: “That’s show business, folks!”
CNN spent two days with a special Ukrainian military intelligence unit that was hunting for a train carrying Iranian missiles.
The American television channel CNN received unprecedented exclusive access to one of the Ukrainian drone units long-range, part of the power steering. Its members call themselves a long-range UAV unit, the material says. TV channel.
Only two people were allowed to speak on the record and only by call sign. Serge said that he personally controlled over 500 drone attacks long-range attacks on Russian territory since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
CNN spent two days traveling around the country with the unit as it prepared to launch more than 100 drones on the night of September 29 with a mission in Russia. CNN is not disclosing the locations of sites visited for operational security reasons.
According to the Ukrainian military, their target is the composition of the ammunition, namely, train cars standing in the depot, loaded with recently delivered Iranian missiles. In September, CNN sources reported that Tehran had recently completed the delivery of short-range ballistic missiles to Russia.
The channel notes that long-range drone attacks are becoming an increasingly visible part of the Russian-Ukrainian war. As ground warfare becomes increasingly tiresome, air warfare is gaining momentum, with drone warfare being a major development.
In September, the unit’s drones hit Russian ammunition depot between Moscow and St. Petersburg in the Tver region. The attack on Toropets, according to the Ukrainians, led to the destruction of the train where Iskander tactical missiles were stored, as well as aircraft glide bombs and artillery ammunition. The impact caused powerful explosions that were visible for kilometers.
Russian air defenses thwart many Ukrainian drone attacks. Power Steering Success Rate, CNN Reports, Can Be Turned from 50% to 95% if the United States allows Western weapons to be used to attack Russian territory.
A military man with the call sign “Vector” says that many Russian airfields, from where many air raids are carried out against Ukraine, are outside their effective range. Its drones, despite being highly effective, are not always so effective: large numbers of drones are needed to ensure that targets are hit.
More than 7,000 Ukrainian strikes have reached their targets in Russia this year. We are talking about strikes that include drones, artillery, guns, mortars, guided missiles, rockets, grenade launchers and other heavy weapons.
A further strike reached more than 1,700 km deep into Russia from the Ukrainian border. Long-range drones have targeted military targets such as ammunition depots, as well as infrastructure such as oil refineries.
Each drone is programmed to more than 1000 different waypointsto avoid complex Russian air defense systems.
The power steering also uses bait. The smaller Ruback drones are meant to divert air defense fire away from the February drone, which often carries a payload of up to 250 kilograms. But the power steering uses not only the February drone.
The success of the mission is monitored in three ways: through human intelligence on the ground, posts in Russian Telegram groups and later analysis using satellite technology. Only after evaluating all three can a mission be considered successful or not.
Dialog.UA previously reported that at the beginning of 2023, Zelensky proposed to Netanyahu to jointly develop weapons that would be effective in the fight against Iranian drones.
Author: Mark Voroshilov
