Dusk brings an urgent scramble for cover before dark.
The 92nd Assault Brigade's “Code 9.2” drone unit is moving to a new launch position, from where it is about to undertake a rare and potent mission: flying drones into Russia and dropping mines on key roads within Russia. enemy territory.
Dusk provides a moment of opportunity to set up new equipment and unload your Humvee before dusk makes these complex tasks impossible.
They can only hope that the faded gray light protects them from the endless stream of Russian drones flying overhead looking for something to attack.
A Starlink antenna, a longer-range drone antenna, dozens of batteries and two huge “Vampire” quadcopters are unloaded into trenches and bunkers, assembled and ready for use in 30 minutes.
Only when darkness sets in can your work begin.
And immediately the threat is apparent. Before operators Andrey and Artem can leave the bunker to begin work, a noise sends them running back for cover.
“Sssshhh,” Andrey hisses. “Orlan.” The only way to protect yourself from being seen by an Orlan – an observer drone that may also have thermal cameras that allow it to see in the dark – is to hide. And listen silently for this to pass. “They will fly all night,” he says.
The horizon is dotted with flashes – distant explosions. In its center shines the Russian city of Belgorod, now repeatedly hit by Ukrainian attacks.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said his week-long offensive in Ukraine's Kharkiv region is partly aimed at creating a buffer zone along the border to protect a population whose safety was never in doubt when he launched his invasion. in February 2022.
The bunker is quickly transformed into a center of operations, and the team finds it difficult to adapt to the quiet, open fields of their new home after months of fierce battles around Bakhmut.
In the silence, Artem says: “You don’t know if you’re going to get hit or not.”
He points out the difference between Ukraine's failed defense last year in Bakhmut, in the eastern region of Donetsk – and his work tonight, about four miles from the border.
Here, the dense foliage, lack of fixed front lines, and proximity to Russia mean that “recon groups come in and can get anywhere.” They joke that they could wake up to a Russian soldier standing over them.
For Artem, however, this fight is intensely personal. His parents still live in a partially destroyed village, a short drive away.
For 18 months he deceived them by saying he was stationed at a peaceful checkpoint, when in fact he was fighting on the front line.
Now they know he's nearby, and the feeling of fighting for his true home makes him insecure.
“Anxiety,” he says of the main feeling. “My parents are here, so if, God forbid, we fail in any way, if there is a breakthrough, it will be a big responsibility.”
Darkness set in, pierced only by the flashes of artillery strikes and the nearly full moon. The team gets to work quickly. Artem and Andrey rush to attach the mines to the drone, using only red lights. Suddenly, a small high-pitched noise is audible.
“Run,” says Andrey, and they take cover in a nearby bunker. Once located, the trenches can become the target of air and artillery attacks throughout the night, and there is little chance of escape: they have no vehicle and running across open terrain on foot is also dangerous.
A few minutes pass. Flares illuminate a neighboring field. Battles are also raging elsewhere.
The team resumes work. Zippers tie off the main fuses. Duct tape prepares explosives. Then again, another drone passes nearby and they run again for shelter.
Interrupted twice and a little breathless from running for cover, the team is finally ready to launch.
Back in the bunker, pilot Sasha can see the fields flowing below the Vampire on his night vision camera. He points to the border and then adds: “Now we are in Russia.”
“Did you bring your passport?” jokes Artem. “I can go without a visa,” replies Sasha.
Being funny used to be the job of the third team member, before the war dragged Ukrainians of different professions into the trenches.
Andrey was a comedian and worked briefly with Volodymyr Zelensky – long before his days as a Ukrainian politician and president, when he was a TV producer and actor – on his comedy show. “Honestly, he had one of the best vibes of anyone I've met,” he says.
“The strongest energy. It's always interesting with him. We spent a lot of time together, one on one.”
It's a peculiar feature of the Ukrainian force, compared to its enemy: it's unlikely that any of Putin's troops spent any time on stage with the Kremlin head telling jokes before the war.
The drone flies deeper into Russia and then warning messages sound loudly in the bunker, repeatedly, signaling that the GPS jammers are in action.
Sasha is briefly worried about losing the drone. The live stream cuts out. He fidgets with the controls.
But minutes later, the signal is restored: the drone has passed through the interference, stayed on course and can now continue towards the target.
Moments later, two packages are released. The mines are on the road and, the next day, the unit says, they hit an armored car and a light vehicle.
As the drone approaches, the team faces two problems. Firstly, his GPS system appears damaged and he unceremoniously lands in the field, upside down.
Secondly, they think they can see a Russian Orlan that appears to have followed the drone back to Ukraine, perhaps looking for its launch position.
The team takes shelter for a few minutes, waiting for the threat to pass. The projectiles whistle overhead and crash into nearby fields.
They recover the drone, but must rely on their reserves until dawn, when daylight will give them a chance to assess the damage.
The departures continue, the team claims that it holds the record for the most flights with Vampire in one night.
But their target now is Russia itself, a powerful symbol of Kiev's decision to take the fight back to Moscow, and the new and dangerous escalation and turn that this conflict is taking in its third year.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
