Draft:Drones in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Drones have played a significant role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They have been used throughout the Russo-Ukrainian War which began in 2014, but their use expanded significantly on both sides with the full scale invasion which started in 2022. A wide variety of drones have been used, most drones have been aerial drones, but naval drones have also been used.
During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, both sides have utilised drones in combat and for reconnaissance, and drones have played an important role in offensives. Ukrainian forces have made extensive use of the Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drone throughout the conflict in strikes against Russian forces. Russian forces meanwhile launched waves of Iranian HESA Shahed 136 drones during the October 2022 missile strikes on Ukraine.[1] The main roles of drones in the war, however, are in reconnaissance and artillery spotting. Russian sources claimed to have used a "Stupor anti-drone rifle" to jam the radio controls of Ukrainian drones.[2]
On October 13, 2022, the first recorded instance of an unarmed drone-on-drone combat encounter occurred above the Donetsk region of Ukraine. A Ukrainian DJI Mavic quadcopter was recorded ramming a Russian drone of the same model, resulting in the latter crashing towards the surface below.[3][4][5] Another instance of this aerial ramming tactic occurred on November 24, 2022, this time with the Russian DJI Mavic being recorded plummeting towards the ground after a collision with a Ukrainian drone.[6][7] On May 9, 2023, a Russian conscript surrendered to (or rather via) a Ukrainian drone.[8] The average HESA Shahed 136 drone is worth about $20,000. An IRIS-T missile is worth about $430,000 each in comparison. From 13 September until 17 October, open source information suggests that Ukraine has had to spend $28.14 million on defending against these drones.[9][10]
Since at least September 2022, Ukraine has used black naval drones, equipped with the Starlink satellite internet system, to carry attacks on the Russian Black Sea fleet at the Sevastopol Naval base.[11][12][13][14] The naval drones were at first assumed to be for reconnaissance, but appear to carry munitions and act as a bomb.[15] With experts noting that the sensors on the front of the naval drone could be used as a laser range finder to help in targeting.[15] In late October 2022, seven of these drones were used to mount a successful drone attack on the Sevastopol Naval base.[11][16]
In September 2023, Ukrainian troops were reported as using cardboard drones with GoPro cameras for aerial reconnaissance.[17]
As of April 2024, Ukraine has started deploying manned aircraft, such as the Aeroprakt A-22 Foxbat and Yakovlev Yak-52, which uses snipers or machine guns to shot down Russian drones.[18][19] Ukrainian drones have also been given a variety of improvised modifications for the express purpose of attacking and countering Russian drones; these include an instance in July 2024 where an FPV drone with a stick mounted to it was used to attack and eventually destroy a ZALA 421-16E reconnaissance drone through repeated aerial ramming.[20]
On 31 July 2024, a Russian Mi-8 helicopter was shot down by over occupied Donetsk, by a Ukrainian FPV drones. The first time a helicopter in combat was destroyed by a drone. The Mi-8 was believed to have been attacked on the ground either during landing or take off.[21][22]
Russia launched the largest drone strike of the war on 25 November 2024, when it attacked Ukraine with 188 drones. Ukrainian forces shot down 76 and lost track of 96, likely due to electronic jamming. Other drones struck the energy grid and civilian homes.[23]
Background
[edit]Beginning of the invasion
[edit]Manufacturing and procurement
[edit]List of drones used
[edit]Ukrainian side
[edit]- Aerorozvidka R18
- Athlon Avia A1-CM Furia
- Bayraktar TB2
- Bober
- DeViRo Leleka-100
- Dragon drone
- Skyeton Raybird-3
- Peklo
- Ukrspecsystems PD-2
- Ukrspecsystems Shark
Russian side
[edit]Both sides
[edit]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "How are 'kamikaze' drones being used by Russia and Ukraine?". BBC News. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
- ^ "Russian army confirms use of Stupor anti-drone rifle in Ukraine | Defense News July 2022 Global Security army industry | Defense Security global news industry army year 2022 | Archive News year". www.armyrecognition.com. 6 July 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
- ^ Niles, Russ (20 October 2022). "Video Shows Drone-On-Drone Battle". AVweb. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ Hambling, David. "Ukraine Wins First Drone Vs. Drone Dogfight Against Russia, Opening A New Era Of Warfare (Updated)". Forbes. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ "Video captures dogfight between two Mavic quadcopter drones in Ukraine - AeroTime". 18 October 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ McFadden, Christopher (25 November 2022). "Unmanned dogfight: Two drones have allegedly engaged in midair combat over Ukraine". interestingengineering.com. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ Malyasov, Dylan (24 November 2022). "Russian 'Z' drone shot down by Ukrainian unmanned aircraft in dogfight – Defence Blog". defence-blog.com. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ Kalin, Stephen; Coles, Isabel (14 June 2023). "The Russian Soldier Who Surrendered to a Ukrainian Drone". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ Sakshi Tiwari (20 October 2022). "1st Evidence! Germany's 'Much-Touted' IRIS-T Defense System Used By Ukraine 'Clashes' With Russian Missile". EurAsian Times. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
- ^ Daniel Boffey (19 October 2022). "Financial toll on Ukraine of downing drones 'vastly exceeds Russian costs'". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
- ^ a b "How Elon Musk's satellites have saved Ukraine and changed warfare". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ Copp, Tara (12 September 2023). "Elon Musk blocking Starlink to stop Ukraine attack troubling for DoD". Defense News. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
- ^ Marquardt, Alex (13 October 2022). "Exclusive: Musk's SpaceX says it can no longer pay for critical satellite services in Ukraine, asks Pentagon to pick up the tab | CNN Politics". CNN.
- ^ Borger, Julian (7 September 2023). "Elon Musk ordered Starlink to be turned off during Ukraine offensive, book says". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ a b Gault, Matthew (26 September 2022). "Mysterious Sea Drone Surfaces in Crimea". Vice. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ Ozberk, Tayfun (23 August 2023). "Ukraine's new underwater drone Marichka breaks cover". Naval News. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ Eckstein, Megan (13 September 2023). "Cardboard drone vendor retools software based on Ukraine war hacks". Defense News. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
- ^ David Axe (28 April 2024). "CWorld War I Tactics Make A Comeback As A Ukrainian Gunner In The Back Of A Propeller Plane Shoots Down A Russian Drone". Forbes. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ THOMAS NEWDICK (28 April 2024). "Ultralight Drone Hunting Planes Now In Use In Ukraine". TWZ. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ Triffaux. "Ukrainian Drone with Wooden Stick Neutralizes Modern Russian ZALA 421 UAV in Aerial Combat". armyrecognition.com. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ Matthew Loh (1 August 2024). "Ukraine just showed its low-cost, lightweight drones can destroy a Russian helicopter, Russian sources say". Business Insider. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ YEVHENIIA MARTYNIUK (1 August 2024). "Media: Ukrainian drone downs Russian Mi-8 helicopter in first such attack". euromaidanpress. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ "Russia strikes Ukraine's critical infrastructure in war's largest drone attack". Reuters. 26 November 2024.