Samuel Bendett

Russian military channels claim that Russian FPV drone operators repelled an attempted Ukrainian ground robotic systems assault involving 28 unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). According to these reports, the Ukrainian force consisted of eight kamikaze ground robots, two platforms equipped with Mk-19 automatic grenade launchers and another 18 fitted with manually operated grenade launchers. Russian FPV drones were reportedly used to engage the advancing platforms and disrupt the operation. The reported number of vehicles, their configurations and the outcome of the engagement have not been independently verified.

The Challenges of Modern Warfare: How Interceptor Drones Have Become the Primary Means of Countering Enemy UAVs Russia’s strategic objective in southern Ukraine is to capture Zaporizhzhia. The enemy is advancing from several directions, including the Huliaipole direction, whose defense is the responsibility of the 7th Air Assault Corps. The occupiers are relying on small infantry groups of one to three soldiers, which can move quickly and infiltrate Ukrainian defensive positions. Infantry assaults are always preceded by drone attacks. While ground assaults take place several times a day, enemy drones operate almost continuously. Over the past two weeks, the enemy has launched more than 1,700 drones at the positions of Ukrainian defenders within the 7th Air Assault Corps’ area of responsibility, according to Artem Skurativskyi, Head of the Corps’ Air Defense Directorate. The vast majority of these drones are deployed by the occupiers during daylight hours. The enemy uses a wide range of drones for its attacks, from basic FPV drones to Lancet loitering munitions. However, the Molniya (Lightning) first- and second-generation drones are the primary means of striking Ukrainian positions. Made from plywood or plastic, these drones are extremely easy to manufacture because they do not require rare components. At the same time, they can travel up to 60 kilometers and carry up to 10 kilograms of explosives, posing a significant threat to Ukrainian Defense Forces units. The main difficulty in shooting down these drones lies in the tactics used to deploy them. Molniya drones do not fly directly toward their targets. Instead, they constantly change their direction, altitude, and speed. At the same time, Ukrainian troops report that the invaders are increasingly using Molniya drones not as strike drones, but as a kind of “mothership” carrying several FPV drones on board. In this way, the Russians are attempting to extend the depth of their strikes. To effectively counter enemy drone attacks, units under the operational command of the 7th Air Assault Corps employ a wide range of air defense systems. These include man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), such as the Stinger, Starstreak, and Soviet-era Igla family, as well as surface-to-air missile systems such as the Patriot, SAMP/T, and S-300. The Defense Forces favor interceptor drones primarily because of the economic imbalance between the weapons involved. As soldiers explain, it makes little sense to shoot down a Russian UAV worth $2,000 using missiles or other munitions that cost tens or even hundreds of times more. Ukrainian troops use a variety of interceptor drones, including Sting, F7 Litavr, and P1-Sun. Over a two-week period, units operating within the 7th Air Assault Corps’ area of responsibility shot down more than 1,267 enemy drones, including tactical, strike, and reconnaissance UAVs. Today, jet-powered Shahed drones pose the greatest threat to Ukrainian airspace. Modern variants of these Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles can reach speeds of up to 600 km/h, putting them beyond the reach of most interceptor drones. Nevertheless, units under the operational command of the 7th Air Assault Corps have already recorded successful interceptions of jet-powered UAVs, says Artem Skurativskyi, Head of the Corps’ Air Defense Directorate. According to him, the current challenge is to scale up these technologies and operational capabilities. “We need a sufficient number of interceptors, especially models capable of countering jet-powered Shaheds. We also need trained crews to operate these interceptors, as well as radar systems to detect threats.” Meanwhile, Brigadier General Yevhen Lasiychuk, Commander of the 7th Air Assault Corps, has repeatedly emphasized the importance of deploying interceptor drones on the front line. According to him, scaling up unmanned capabilities is a systematic approach to modern warfare. “Drones are already fighting not only on the ground and in the air. Neither we nor the enemy will stop here — this will continue to evolve. But we understand this, which is why we are finding new solutions and ways to strike the enemy. We are not standing still either. We are moving forward,” the Hero of Ukraine said in an interview.