Ukrainian bomber drones were used to drop ground robots behind the Russian frontline in a groundbreaking new ‘safari’ mission that targeted as many as 3,000 enemy troops.
The attack was carried out for the first time by Ukraine‘s Third Army Corps this week during ‘Operation Vivaldi’, with Kyiv‘s forces deploying unmanned ground vehicles 10 kilometres behind Russian lines.
Cameras mounted on the ground robots captured the surprise operation, which resulted in 3,000 Russian soldiers being killed or wounded.
‘For the first time in the world, during [Ukraine’s] Operation Vivaldi, the occupiers were attacked by ‘Gryphons’,’ said Makar, commander of the NSI-13 ground robotic systems unit of Ukraine’s 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, part of the 3rd Army Corps.
Heavy bomber drones – the Gryphons- ‘dropped kamikaze ground robots more than 10km deep into enemy rear areas,’ he said.
‘Robot cameras captured the technological breakthrough — where the enemy least expected it.’
He added that the ‘unique deep-strike tactic’ was created from scratch by the soldiers of the NC13 strike ground-robot unit.
‘Now there are even more of our infantry’s lives preserved — and even more of the enemy’s manpower and resources destroyed,’ the commander added.
The moment Ukrainian kamikaze robot strikes Russian vehicle after being air-dropped by a drone miles behind enemy lines in in extraordinary new Ukrainian battlefield operation
Cameras mounted on the ground robots captured the surprise operation, which resulted in 3,000 Russian soldiers being killed or wounded
Video grab shows the moment Ukrainian bomber drones drop ground robots behind Russian lines
The unconventional new tactics in Operation Vivaldi are helping Ukraine take back control from Russia within the Donetsk region.
Since Russia’s invasion more than four years ago, Ukraine has become a global leader in military drone technology, deploying domestically produced long-range drones alongside missiles for strikes deep inside Russia.
Its drone technology has impressed governments and defence manufacturers worldwide.
Kyiv is aiming to make the Russian public feel the war’s consequences and pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into negotiating a peace settlement.
Putin has so far shown no signs that he intends to stop the invasion.
Instead, Moscow and Kyiv have been drawn into an escalating duel of long-range aerial strikes as fighting along the roughly 1,250-km front line in eastern and southern Ukraine has slowed, constrained by large numbers of drones and ground robots that threaten troop movements.
It comes as Russian aerial attacks on Ukraine overnight and into Friday killed five people and wounded 11, while Moscow reported one dead and 21 wounded in Ukrainian long-range strikes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said eight regions came under attack.
Pictured: One of the ground robots used to strike Russian troops
Russia kept its relentless round-the-clock attacks on the Ukrainian capital, hitting an office block where four people were killed, Zelensky said.
A 14=year-old boy was also killed in a Kyiv apartment building strike, and at least seven residents were injured, according to officials.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces hit a missile engine depot near Kyiv, among other targets.
Ukraine hit two refineries as part of its sustained campaign to damage Russia’s economy, Zelenskyy said.
Unconfirmed Russian media reports said Ukrainian drones also struck a Russian military electronics plant and a synthetic rubber producer.
