KYIV, UKRAINE — Ukraine has been having success in using Turkish-made drones to infiltrate the air space above invading Russian convoys and turning the convoys into exploding fireballs. Here are the details:
The Wall Street Journal reports that the Ukrainian Air Force is crediting its new Turkish-made drones with destroying a large number of Russian weapon systems with guided bombs.
The chief commander of Ukraine’s armed forces, Valery Zaluzhny, posted a video of such a drone strike turning multiple Russian trucks into a fireball, adding the comment “Welcome to hell!”
The video was posted on Facebook with text that says the Bayraktar drone struck a Russian convoy near the city of Malyn, around 97 kilometers northwest of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
A few such videos show multiple bombs hitting Russian weapon systems in wooded areas and in convoys.
The drones seemed to be very effective at exploiting long Russian military convoys stuck in traffic jams.
These stuck convoys present the drones with the opportunity to target an explosive-laden target like a supply truck.
Once the truck and its explosives are hit, the massive explosion often blows up multiple surrounding vehicles and troops.
Russian troops have been seen deploying anti-aircraft missiles effectively against such drones.
Ukraine began receiving shipments of the drones in 2019. The drone’s primary function is to use its high-powered cameras to view the battlefield and laser-correct artillery strikes.
It can stay aloft for 24 hours, flying at a maximum altitude of 7.6 kilometers.
A remote pilot can fly the drone from as far away as 300 kilometers, in good weather.
