Ukraine Seems to Use Switchblade Suicide Drone On Russian Territory For First Time Since War Began – When President Joe Biden said that the United States would not supply Ukraine with long-range missiles or artillery that could strike Russian territory in May, it was an attempt to ensure that Ukrainian troops could not launch attacks on Russian soil using U.S.-made or U.S.-supplied equipment. Such a move could easily be viewed as an escalation by Russia and could have risked conflict outside Ukraine’s borders.
Despite not providing those long-range missiles or artillery to Ukraine, however, soldiers this week successfully used a U.S.-supplied Switchblade 300 drone to launch a deadly attack on Russian territory.
The attack, which took place at the Troebortnoe crossing in Bryansk Oblast to the north of central Ukraine, was also recorded by Ukrainian drones.
19FortyFive has not been able to prove the accuracy of the videos surrounding this incident independently. However, we have shown the footage to several Russian and Ukrainian military analysts; all stated they believe the video and evidence provided online seem accurate to the best of their abilities.
Watch the Strike Take Place
Video footage recorded by the Switchblade drone was shared online this week. By nature of the drone functioning as a loitering munition, meaning the drone itself is the weapon, the footage cuts off just before the strike occurs. The second half of the clip, however, features footage recorded by an additional drone nearby.
Popular English-language war analysis Twitter account Ukraine Weapons Tracker also confirmed the exact coordinates of where the strike took place.
“In a first for the war so far, today Ukrainian forces are confirmed to have used a US-supplied Switchblade 300 loitering munition on Russian territory, at the Troebortnoe crossing in #Bryansk Oblast, barely 2km from the Ukrainian border (51.88214, 34.34705),” the account writes.
#Russia: In a first for the war so far, today Ukrainian forces are confirmed to have used a US-supplied Switchblade 300 loitering munition on Russian territory, at the Troebortnoe crossing in #Bryansk Oblast, barely 2km from the Ukrainian border (51.88214, 34.34705). pic.twitter.com/u3ALulfIY4
— ?? Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) July 26, 2022
Ukraine Weapons Tracker also shared photographs purportedly of the destroyed loitering munition on the ground, covered in what looks like blood. The account claims that Russian sources said one civilian was killed and three others were injured in the attack.
“Though we can’t comment on the accuracy of either claim, it is quite significant that a US-supplied weapon has been used by Ukraine against Russian territory,” they noted.
According to Russian sources, 1 civilian was killed, 3 more injured. The Ukrainian side claims FSB agents were targeted.
Though we can’t comment on the accuracy of either claim, it is quite significant that a US-supplied weapon has been used by Ukraine against Russian territory. pic.twitter.com/qeQtkrSvsR
— ?? Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) July 26, 2022
Video footage purportedly from the site of the strike was also shared on a Russian-language Telegram account, with the author also claiming that the weapon used was an American-supplied Switchblade drone.
“New circumstances of today’s shelling in the Bryansk region near the customs post have become known,” the Telegram post reads. “The Ukrainian Nazis used the American tactical loitering munition Switchblade (kamikaze drone) against the civilian population.”
Брянская обл., таможенный пункт “Троебортное”, последствия удара и обломки дрона-камикадзе “Switchblade 300” https://t.co/BdtUqHfguf #RussianUkrainianWar pic.twitter.com/wW4DQyjY9r
— Necro Mancer (@666_mancer) July 26, 2022
The footage, recorded with a cell phone camera on the ground, shows the cars seen in the UAV footage. Blood can be seen on the ground, car windows are visibly smashed, and the remnants of the Switchblade drone are also visible on the ground.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
