Thread by @thetimes

🔺 EXCLUSIVE: An elite Ukrainian drone unit has destroyed dozens of “priority targets” by attacking Russian forces as they sleep
thetimes.co.uk/article/specia…

Aerorozvidka, a specialist air reconnaissance unit within the army, has been picking off tanks, command trucks and vehicles carrying electronic equipment since the invasion began.

“We strike at night, when Russians sleep,” Yaroslav Honchar, the unit’s commander said

Russian forces are static when night falls, Honchar explained from his base of operations in Kyiv, with their fear of Ukrainian shelling forcing them to hide their tanks in villages between houses, knowing that conventional artillery cannot risk hitting civilians

But immobile convoys are the prime targets of Aerorozvidka, which has 50 squads of expert drone pilots.

Using heavy-duty octocopter drones — modified to drop anti-tank grenades and to see with thermal cameras — the darkness is their greatest advantage 🌃

“In the night it’s impossible to see our drones,” said an Aerorozvidka soldier.

🗣️“We look specifically for the most valuable truck in the convoy and then we hit it precisely and we can do it really well with very low collateral damage — even in the villages it’s possible”

"You can get much closer at night," the Aerorozvidka soldier added.

Their fleet ranges from cheap commercial drones to their most important asset: heavy, custom-built octocopters maintained by in-house engineers

The R18 model is the jewel of their arsenal, boasting a 4km range, 40-min flight time and capacity to drop 5kg bombs that obliterate Russian armour.

It is considered 🇺🇦 best device for night operations, carrying out precise reconnaissance and direct artillery fire

Another drone used by the unit is the PD-1, a reconnaissance device capable of hovering in air for 8 hours
thetimes.co.uk/article/game-c…

The teams carry out about 300 missions every day to help to collect information and identify high-priority targets for their limited supply of bombs.

Co-ordinates are given to the kill squads who take to the skies at night

Aerorozvidka most sophisticated drones are connected using Starlink, a system donated by Elon Musk that uses satellites in a low orbit to enable “high data rate” activities thetimes.co.uk/article/elon-m…

Aerorozvidka was created by model plane enthusiasts in 2014, but since the success of its operations against Russian forces in Crimea, it has been integrated into the Ukrainian general staff

Supporters from across Europe have been sending drone parts and other equipment that can be used to build explosive devices and repair damaged devices.

🇬🇧 British citizens have responded to the call and are in the process of creating a direct supply stream to Ukraine

Read the full story 👇
thetimes.co.uk/article/specia…