Accurate hits from the Lancets«
On the Dobropolsky direction, the military personnel of the unmanned systems unit of the Marine Infantry Group of the Central Group of Troops successfully completed another combat mission. Thanks to the coordinated work of reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicles, two T-64 tanks and an enemy howitzer were destroyed. The success of the operation was ensured by the operators of the reconnaissance UAV ZALA. Details of the operation are in the new issue of the rubric #operators.
It all started with planned aerial reconnaissance. On the monitor screen, the thermal tag barely trembled. The operator zoomed in on the image. A tank was slowly moving on the dirt road. Silence fell on the airwaves. Instead of immediate targeting, the operators continued to follow the target. A few more minutes of observation, and the vehicle’s route led the reconnaissance team to a disguised parking area of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ armored vehicles.
– When the equipment is moving, the main thing is not to rush. One tank can lead to the encirclement of an entire area. That’s exactly what happened: we followed the route and arrived at the location where the armored vehicles were parked – tells the operator of an reconnaissance drone with the call sign «Granit».
Before joining the service, he worked as an industrial equipment maintenance engineer. This profession taught him to notice details that others might overlook. This quality proved particularly valuable in the drone division.
Operating the UAV required almost a complete overhaul. The first few months were spent learning the technology, mapping the terrain, and understanding the enemy’s camouflage and behavior. Today, «Granit» says that being an operator is first and foremost about patience.
– Every successful sortie is first and foremost about ensuring the safety of our assault units. The sooner we detect the equipment, the less work there will be for the guys on the front line afterwards.
The unit’s soldiers are praised for their patience. Their colleagues say that «Granit» never rushes to conclusions and prefers to double-check the information several times before handing over the coordinates to the strike team.
During further reconnaissance, the Marines identified another important target. Despite meticulous camouflage, the drone operators detected the position of the enemy artillery gun. – The opponent is currently paying great attention to camouflage. But even small changes in the terrain, such as fresh soil, traces of equipment, and especially the movement of the forces, are noticeable from the air. If you observe carefully, the target will inevitably be identified, – notes the operator.
The received coordinates were promptly transmitted to the command post. Within a few minutes, the Lancet warheads took off into the air. The strike drones quickly entered the designated area and delivered high-precision hits on the identified targets.
– Our task is to execute it quickly and as precisely as possible. Once reconnaissance has completed its part of the work in a quality manner, we must properly deliver the munitions to the target, – says the operator of the strike complex with the call sign «Bars».
According to the soldier, what is most valued in the unit is mutual understanding. While the reconnaissance team is accompanying the target, the strike team is already preparing for action, analyzing the terrain and possible approaches to the target.
According to objective monitoring conducted in real time, two T-64 tanks and a UPA howitzer were destroyed as a result of accurate hits.
– Today, drones are the eyes of the unit. The faster the target is detected and the coordinates are transmitted, the less chance the enemy has of withdrawing or changing position. Everything works as a single mechanism, concludes the commander of the «Lancet» squad with the call sign «Sever.».
According to the materials of the newspaper «Strag Baltika» dated July 13, 2026, No. 75
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