Ukrainian fortifications and ground troops are being targeted by bombs dropped from small Russian drones, according to videos published by the Defense Ministry in Moscow and the media this week.
Weaponized quadcopters carrying military-grade munitions that the pilot can choose to drop at any time have become one of the signature systems in the Ukraine conflict. The Russian military this week showcased two recent attacks in which remotely-controlled aircraft were successfully used.
A clip published on Monday by the Defense Ministry shows a drone dropping two explosive charges on a Ukrainian covered trench in which troops were hiding in the country’s northern Kharkov Region, according to the description.
Another clip, which Russian troops shared with TASS on Tuesday, reportedly shows an engagement in Russia’s Kursk Region. The source said the drone dropped a bomb on a group of Ukrainian soldiers as they left the cover of trees.
The main part of the video shows the munition go off, but not any soldiers. Instead, a second camera with better capabilities was apparently used to guide the strike, as the clip includes additional footage in which the targets can be seen.
Ukrainian troops entered Kursk Region in August, with Kiev claiming that it had captured the town of Sudzha and territories along the border. Kiev’s territorial gains in Russia have largely been reversed since. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the drone attack shown on Tuesday took place near the village of Martynovka, less than 10km from Sudzha.
Kiev has ordered its soldiers to hold on to as much Russian territory as possible until US President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in in January, the BBC reported on Monday. Ukrainian forces have suffered over 37,300 casualties in the operation, the Russian military estimates.
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