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- From the height of arrival: how the troops of unmanned systems are fighting near Krasnoarmeysk
From the height of arrival: how the troops of unmanned systems are fighting near Krasnoarmeysk
Full—fledged units of a new type of military, unmanned systems, are actively involved in the battles in the area of Krasnoarmeysk, where the surrounded enemy is being destroyed. The success of the boiler disposal operation now largely depends on them. There is fog over the battlefield right now, so the work of drone operators requires jewelry precision, clear and quick decisions. The Izvestia correspondent visited the positions and saw how the calculations of a separate battalion of unmanned systems troops of the 51st Guards Army of the Southern Military District, as part of the Center group of forces, were striking at another enemy stronghold.
Fog over the battlefield
There have been fogs near Donetsk for several days now, and rain begins periodically. Of course, this is not a reason to stop flying drones, but it is not easy to work in such weather. Operator visibility is seriously declining, however, FPV drones continue to fly. The drones are waiting for a break in the weather, and the platoon commander is carefully reviewing the planned targets on the tablet. Everything is ready.
— I've been in the army for almost 11 years, I came here from Russia as a volunteer, — while I have a free minute, says a sapper (such a position for fighters equipping charges for drones) with the call sign Gazik. — In 2015, I started with infantry, then artillery, and now unmanned systems. I didn't ask to come here myself, the command came: "Go." I went and studied, and now I'm here.
You can hear the active work of several heavy artillery pieces at once, which are masked in good weather and try not to use them during the day unless absolutely necessary. Now, from several points, short pops of gunfire and the rustle of our heavy shells can be heard. They do not stop even in relatively rare moments of firing anti-aircraft machine guns at air surveillance points.
After receiving the target, the Gazik takes out the prepared FPV drone for takeoff, checks the connection and only then removes the cover from the video camera.
The lens is not opened until the last moment, so that the enemy does not intercept the video signal and find the take-off point.
After installing the drone on the take—off pad, the most painstaking and dangerous part of the work takes place - installing a fuse in a munition suspended under the drone.
With a practiced movement, the Gazik quickly cuts pieces of electrical tape of the required length and connects the wires, after which he runs away to a safe distance, from which he gives the command: "Three fives!" This means that the drone is ready to take off.
Flights of Shuva and Romeo
While Gazik is waiting for the command to launch the next UAVs to finish off the Ukrainian stronghold, pilot Shuva, originally from the Urals, is working at the console.
"I've flown UAVs before," he says. — And when they started forming the unit, I was transferred here, studied for about a month, and now I'm already on combat missions.
Next to Shuva is platoon commander Romeo. He coordinates his actions and controls them on the second screen, on which the picture from the FPV glasses is duplicated.
When Shuva brings the last drone allocated for its destruction to the target, they quickly switch places: Romeo puts on glasses and takes the remote control to make a difficult approach to a small target in a wooded area in conditions of enemy interference.
The FPV drone hits the dugout, and communication with it is lost. Everyone is waiting for confirmation of objective monitoring from an observer drone, which transmits a video with a general plan. After a couple of moments, it becomes clear: the target has been hit.
— Unit commanders take part in the selection of personnel, — says Romeo. — They work with military enlistment offices, with military units, exchange information, call candidates for an interview, ask a number of questions and see if the person is suitable for us.
He was a UAV operator for a long time, rose to a platoon commander, and probably worked everywhere in the Donetsk area.
Today, he has radio-controlled copter calculations, fiber-optic cables, and even aircraft-type UAVs under his command.
Depending on the tasks they face, the drones order the necessary types of drones and ammunition in preparation for their flights. After receiving them, the calculations enter the positions.
New troop capabilities
The youngest branch of the Armed Forces in the Russian Armed Forces is the troops of unmanned systems. Its formation was completed in the third quarter of 2025. The soldiers on the front line believe that its creation improves the supply of units and allows them to select trained personnel.
But most importantly, individual units of troops can quickly maneuver, create a powerful concentration of forces and assets at the right point of the line of contact. For example, there are separate artillery units.
Such capabilities make it possible to achieve local air superiority and ensure the isolation of the battlefield, which, with today's Ukrainian tactics of creating disparate strongholds, is one of the important factors not only for victory, but also for saving the lives of its fighters.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
