Far from the main frontlines, a small Ukrainian “drone hunter” unit spends its days and nights scanning the skies above the frozen outskirts of Sloviansk, trying to spot and shoot down incoming Russian drones before they can strike troops and supply lines. What was once a conventional artillery war has turned into a relentless aerial cat-and-mouse game, with the men now fearing not just the scream of shells but also the constant buzz of unmanned aircraft overhead.
Armed with handheld drone detectors and assault rifles, the soldiers rush into position whenever their equipment or instincts pick up a threat, often firing Kalashnikovs at small, fast-moving drones barely visible against the grey sky. Bohdan, commander of an anti-aircraft battery in Ukraine’s 117th Brigade, says shotguns work where drones fly very low, but in his sector they fly higher and faster, making the Kalashnikov “the most effective tool” for trying to bring them down.
The work is exhausting and dangerous, with the unit coming under drone or artillery threat “two, three times a day” as they battle icy roads, “sleeper” drones and loitering munitions that can appear within seconds. Once a Russian drone spots a vehicle or position, artillery fire can quickly follow, forcing the men to shoot, move and seek cover in a matter of moments to avoid being targeted.
Commanders say the war has “changed fundamentally,” shifting from traditional ground clashes to battles increasingly fought in the sky with first-person-view drones, surveillance systems and cheap explosive-laden quadcopters. Ukrainian officers note that some units are now even taking down helicopters with drones, while both sides race to adapt tactics and technology in a conflict where logistics and movement have become a “nightmare” under near constant aerial surveillance.
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