The calculation of the Molniya-2 UAV destroyed the crossing and disrupted the rotation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kupyansky district

A team of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of the Molniya-2 aircraft type of the unmanned Systems Forces (UAVs) as part of the 375th separate anti-tank artillery battalion of the 1st Guards Tank Army of the Zapad group of Forces destroyed a pontoon crossing of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) across the Oskol River at night and disrupted the enemy's rotation in the special operation zone in Kupyansky district of Kharkiv region. This was announced on January 16 by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

"We are completing tasks, cutting off enemy logistics, destroying enemy equipment, as well as its manpower <...> The goal was to work out a pontoon crossing that was thrown across the Oskol River <...> Despite visibility, despite the fact that even us <...>...> when we flew over a populated area, we tried to shoot it down, but we managed to complete the target," said the operator of the Molniya-2 UAV with the call sign Jaeger.

It is reported that the units are on combat duty around the clock, performing combat missions despite the weather conditions. A number of sorties are carried out daily on FPV drones and aircraft-type drones to support the advancing infantry.

According to the Ministry of Defense, Molniya-2 drones can carry more powerful weapons than conventional copters due to their special design. It is specified that such devices are launched from a catapult, and the basing point changes with each departure, which allows the operators of the BPS troops to remain unnoticed by the enemy.

The ministry noted that such UAVs destroy various ground targets with high efficiency: lightly armored structures, enemy manpower and equipment, and the massive use of Lightning significantly accelerates the pace of the Russian troops' offensive.

Fast-moving "Lightning": how the new version of the UAV changed the balance of power in the air

So far, no one has succeeded in creating the same affordable and mass-produced device.

On January 15, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that the Lightning-2 crew of the Guards artillery unit of the Airborne Troops (Airborne Forces) of the Dnepr group of forces had eliminated the AFU UAV control point in the Orekhovsky direction in the Zaporizhia region. According to the agency, the operator of a reconnaissance UAV discovered the take-off site of a Ukrainian drone during reconnaissance behind enemy lines. The UAV strike crew moved to a pre-prepared position and began work. It is noted that the destruction of the target was recorded on the footage of objective control.

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