A video posted by Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) earlier this week shows another impressive display of drone warfare by the Ukrainian armed forces.
In the video, the operator has identified a Russian BMP-1 Infantry Fighting Vehicle hidden in a forest South of the village of Optyne in Donetsk.
While it is unclear whether the vehicle is crewed or abandoned, the drone operator, a Ukrainian 110th Mechanized Brigade member, does not hesitate to take action.
The drone deploys several 40x53mm HEDP Grenades dropped directly through the open hatch of the vehicle in an impressive display of accuracy; the drone is unable to approach too closely due to the tree cover over the vehicle.
Smoke rises from the open hatch before the shot cuts to the now clearly unserviceable vehicle.
Drone Warfare in Ukraine
Over the course of the fourteen-plus month conflict in Ukraine, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have played a significant role. Their use marks a significant shift in battlefield tactics having never before been deployed on this scale or to accomplish this range of missions.
Their low cost and ease of operation make them an ideal weapon for the Ukrainian Army which has primarily relied on foreign military aid for advanced and expensive weapons systems.
Since nearly the outbreak of the war, drones have played some part. The Turkish Bayraktar TB-2 made headlines last spring as it was used to conduct major strikes against the large convoy stalled in the outskirts of Kiev as well as help sink the Moskva in the Baltic Sea.
Seeing their effectiveness, Ukrainians began using off the shelf drones to aid in their operations. A simple drone with a camera and a live uplink has proven incredibly effective as a spotter for artillery and air strikes; able to provide precise locations as well as battle damage assessments.
Ukrainian infantry have used them as well to target low flying Russian aircraft with MANPADs, all without subjecting personnel to detection and engagement.
Both Ukraine and Russia have also employed so-called “kamikaze drones” in strikes against one another.
Ukraine has primarily used the U.S. made Switchblade while Russia has turned to the Iranian Shahed-136. These drones are quite simple, consisting of a warhead and not much else.
Designed to loiter over a target before dropping in and detonating, Russia has used them primarily to attack civilian targets throughout Ukraine, hoping to weaken public resolve.
Drone Drops
Frontline Ukrainian troops have discovered another method of drone warfare, modifying existing hardware to drop grenades on vehicles and equipment, such as the one depicted in the video. This strategy is highly effective for infantry troops as it is both low cost and low weight.
#Ukraine: South of Opytne, #Donetsk Oblast, a camouflaged Russian BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle was destroyed by the Ukrainian 110th Mechanized Brigade using several 40x53mm HEDP grenades dropped from a drone through an opened hatch. pic.twitter.com/wch4B5ZilC
— ???????? Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) May 2, 2023
It can be difficult to counter as well due to the small size of the drones used. Ukrainian forces have put out many videos demonstrating their effectiveness against equipment and personnel across several theaters of the conflict.
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Maya Carlin, a Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
