Inside the Ukrainian Military’s Drone Squadron in Action Against Russian Invasion

Once a resort area, the trees of the forest were charred black by the blast of artillery fire from the Russian army. In one corner of this area, a bungalow is now used in a manner that hardly associates with vacations. It serves as the headquarters for the 411th Territorial Defense Unit of the Ukrainian Army’s Multi-Purpose Drone Independent Squadron.

Located in Svatohorsk, Donetsk Oblast, eastern Ukraine, near the front line of the eastern front with Russia, tests were being conducted to neutralize palm-sized drones with jammers (devices that interfere with the transmission and reception of radio waves).

Operators outside the bungalow were controlling the drones. When the device was activated, the drone flying indoors fell right in front of my eyes.

Every day at the bungalow, a wide variety of drones are managed. For instance, the large monitor screen in the main room of the headquarters is divided into 15 sections, displaying real-time footage from multiple reconnaissance drones sent to the front line. Carbon-made homemade drones, about 50 cm long, are stacked haphazardly on steel racks about waist-high, while tools and jammers clutter the desks. There are no weapons like rifles in this room. Rather than a military headquarters, it feels more like being in a university research laboratory.

“I mainly handle attack drones. There are various types: the ‘Kamikaze type’ for suicide attacks, the type with fixed-wing aircraft carrying bombs to target within a radius of 20 km, and the helicopter type that carries bombs or anti-tank mines for dropping.” 

Okichi, a man in his late twenties who looks more like a university student with his red checkered shirt. He volunteered for the infantry after the Russian invasion and is now actively serving as a skilled drone operator within the drone squadron.

At the beginning of the war, the Ukrainian army deployed civilian drones for reconnaissance purposes in many units. However, the military noticed the suitability of drones for attacks and called for recruits as drone operators. Okichi, known for his gaming skills, was one of them.

“We may seem safer than infantry fighting at the front lines, but because the drone squad is a threat to the enemy, we are prioritized targets for attacks. As soon as we turn on the drone’s switch on-site, it’s detected by the Russian army, and there’s a risk of being targeted when the drone returns after dropping bombs,” he explains.

Launching from the front line trenches.

The one commanding the unit is 25-year-old Alhi, who hails from Donetsk Oblast. With a gentle gaze and tone, he doesn’t appear at all like the commander of the drone unit that’s dealing a heavy blow to the Russian army.

“To become an excellent drone operator, infantry experience is necessary. Since drone units operate in conjunction with infantry, it’s crucial to discern what is required on the battlefield.”

The unit operates on a two-shift system, both during the day and at night. With permission from the commander, I accompanied two operators to the frontline near the Russian army’s outpost. We departed the unit’s base at 17:00, driving east for about two hours through abandoned farmland, entering Luhansk Oblast, which is effectively controlled by Russia, before nightfall.

Navigating through rugged fields, we reached a Ukrainian army base nestled within a windbreak. From here, it was just a 5 km distance to the outpost. Amidst the sounds of shelling, we began assembling agricultural drones stored in aluminum boxes, wary of Russian drone attacks.

We attached special bombs, enhanced with clay-like C4 plastic explosives, to counter-tank landmines onto the drones’ undersides. After confirming the operation by switching on the drones, we moved to trenches about 50 meters away to hide. Three adults squeezed into the narrow trench, shoulder to shoulder, while the operators synchronized the controllers and tablets with the drones, preparing for flight. Roman, an IT specialist, controlled the drones while observing the flight course displayed on the tablet. Ax, who obtained a doctoral degree from a Canadian graduate school, served as the navigator. They both appeared to be in their late thirties.

Upon hearing the faint sound of propellers, I peered into Ax’s tablet, confirming the drone’s movement on the map. Roman manually guided the drone to the target while controlling its course based on the tablet’s display. The target was marked with an “X.”

To avoid radio interception, the drone’s camera was activated just as it approached the target. The thermal camera projected clear images even in the darkness. Adjusting the drone above a house where Russian soldiers were lodged, we dropped bombs, causing the house to burst into flames alongside a flash on the controller’s screen.

The two operators remained emotionless, fixated on the tablet as they directed the drone back. After about 10 minutes, we heard the propeller’s sound as the drone returned. The two operators left the trench to reload another fuel-air bomb. These bombs were designed to penetrate concrete and incinerate interiors.

I had heard that drones often came under attack upon completing their missions. Fearing that the propellers of Russian drone might be audible, I concentrated nervously. The fear of being monitored by Russian drones gripped me. Amidst the tension, I continued to watch the operators’ actions.

Once the reloading was complete, we returned to the trench, launching another drone toward a different target. The next target was another building. While watching the destruction of the buildings on the tablet, I was deeply shocked by the fact that the bomb I witnessed being loaded moments ago had taken human lives in an instant. The sight I saw through the tablet remained etched in my mind.

The two operators remained stoic as they directed the drone to its target, showing no emotions even when the bombings hit their mark. If there was a mistake, they would just click their tongues. After completing seven bombing missions in about seven hours, we returned to base before sunrise.

“As we operate on every frontline, we are working to stop Russia’s advance. We adapt to any environment and situation,” as Commander Alhi said, drone units are always integrated into frontline combat.

In February of this year, the Ukrainian army withdrew from Audiiwka in Donetsk Oblast. With weapons supplies from the United States and allied countries stagnating, the situation has worsened.

The lack of personnel makes it difficult to rotate soldiers on the frontline. With weapons dwindling, drones are a lifeline for the Ukrainian army.

From the May 24, 2024 issue of FRIDAY