The drone operators who halted Russian convoy headed for Kyiv

[Sherman A1]

The drone operators who halted Russian convoy headed for Kyiv
Special IT force of 30 soldiers on quad bikes is vital part of Ukraine’s defence, but forced to crowdfund for supplies

One week into its invasion of Ukraine, Russia massed a 40-mile mechanised column in order to mount an overwhelming attack on Kyiv from the north.

But the convoy of armoured vehicles and supply trucks ground to a halt within days, and the offensive failed, in significant part because of a series of night ambushes carried out by a team of 30 Ukrainian special forces and drone operators on quad bikes, according to a Ukrainian commander.

The drone operators were drawn from an air reconnaissance unit, Aerorozvidka, which began eight years ago as a group of volunteer IT specialists and hobbyists designing their own machines and has evolved into an essential element in Ukraine’s successful David-and-Goliath resistance.

However, while Ukraine’s western backers have supplied thousands of anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles and other military equipment, Aerorozvidka has been forced to resort to crowdfunding and a network of personal contacts in order to keep going, by getting hold of components such as advanced modems and thermal imaging cameras, in the face of export controls that prohibit them being sent to Ukraine.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/28/the-drone-operators-who-halted-the-russian-armoured-vehicles-heading-for-kyiv

[L. Coyote]

1. Impressive. "... it all happened because of the work of 30 people,"

...

The Russians broke the column into smaller units to try to make headway towards the Ukrainian capital, but the same assault team was able to mount an attack on its supply depot, he claimed, crippling the Russians’ capacity to advance.

“The first echelon of the Russian force was stuck without heat, without oil, without bombs and without gas. And it all happened because of the work of 30 people,” Honchar said.

The Aerorozvidka unit also claims to have helped defeat a Russian airborne attack on Hostomel airport, just north-west of Kyiv, in the first day of the war, using drones to locate, target and shell about 200 Russian paratroopers concealed at one end of the airfield.

“That contributed largely to the fact that they could not use this airfield for further development of their attack,” Lt Taras, one of Honchar’s aides, said. ..............

[Sherman A1]

2. This kinda reminds me of the Finnish Ski troops during the Winter War of 1939-40

They used small units to slip into the Soviet rear areas and create all sorts of mischief.

[Wounded Bear]

3. Asymmetrical warfare...

it's what you do when your enemy is bigger and stronger than you are.

And the Russians are looking forward to years and years of that if they "win."

[L. Coyote]

6. When everyone has a cell phone with a video camera and GPS

the nature of warfare is totally altered. All your citizens can relay information instantaneously. Movements by invaders are no longer opaque. Technology creates a new asymmetry, a cell phone or a small drone can effect the destruction of a tank. And now people are doing GoFundMes to kill a tank.

Link to tweet

[disndat]

10. Are they using

U.S. "Switchblade" drones programmed with AI yet?

[L. Coyote]

11. What to know about the 100 US 'Switchblade' drones heading to Ukraine

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/100-us-switchblade-drones-heading-ukraine/story?id=83490886

[L. Coyote]

4. Finland had a great response to Putin's threats about joining NATO.

Link to tweet

[Sherman A1]

5. Great!

and likely very true.

[KS Toronado]

7. When I read the headline

was hoping the drone operators were patriotic grade school kids.

[OneCrazyDiamond]

8. "export controls that prohibit them being sent to Ukraine"

Anyone know if these have been lifted yet?

[BlueWavePsych]

9. Kick