Cheap Russian Drones Obliterating Expensive “Ukrainian” Equipment

Elvis Dunderhoff June 28, 2023

Oh, the Ukraine is losing again, even worse?

No one could have predicted this.

Reuters:

As Russia’s invasion enters its 17th month, Ukrainian forces say Moscow is ramping up its use of low-cost suicide drones that are capable of destroying equipment many times their value and not easy to defend against.

The Lancet drone, an angular grey tube with two sets of four wings, has been an increasing threat on Ukraine’s frontlines in recent months, according to Ukrainian solders.

Videos posted by pro-Russian social media channels over the last month appear to show Lancet drones damaging or destroying Ukraine’s valuable Western-donated equipment, such as a Leopard 2 tank and a Caesar self-propelled howitzer.

Ukrainian servicemen from four different artillery crews named Lancets as one of the main threats they faced on the battlefield in conversations with Reuters.

Several soldiers said the frequency of its use had increased in recent months.

“Earlier, in spring, they were not using Lancets as often as they are now,” 35-year-old artillery gunner Bohdan, who gave his call sign as Doc, told Reuters near Avdiivka on the Donetsk region frontlines.

Russia’s defence ministry has been encouraging an increase of production of the Lancet as a cheap way to hit high-value western equipment given to Ukraine for its counteroffensive, said Samuel Bendett, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security.

Bendett said that, according to publicly available Russian sources, a Lancet drone costs approximately 3 million roubles (around $35,000).

In comparison, analysts estimate a single S-300 missile used by Russia to cost at least several hundred thousand dollars. A Leopard 2 tank is worth several million dollars.

Because the Lancet is a single-use device that destroys itself on impact, Bendett said it can only be viable if the cost is kept down to the tens of thousands of dollars per drone.

…

Drones like the Lancet, which fly low and slow, tend to confuse traditional air defence systems, which are built to intercept fast-moving targets with a larger heat signature.

Nets or metal cages can help limit the damage, said Sak, the defence ministry official, but the best defences are radar-equipped automated anti-drone guns, as well as electronic warfare systems.

Sak said Ukraine needed many more of these systems from its allies.

Without such systems, Ukrainian soldiers are often forced to try to shoot the Lancets down with small arms.

“It’s flying at 100 kilometres per hour, so shooting it down with small arms is not an easy challenge,” said Sak.

Putin and Russia are stronger after the fail coup.

Soldiers from the Ukraine allegedly trying to shoot an alleged Lancet drone

On the Ukrainian side, things just keep getting worse and worse – and more humiliating.

I am very happy to see Ukraine believers have their souls crushed.

It’s unfortunate that Ukrainian boys are getting their bodies crushed.

The Ukraine didn’t have a vote on this war.

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