Ukrainian FPV Drones Destroy 10 Russian Vehicles and Heavy Weapons

Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SSO) reported via Telegram the successful destruction of a dozen Russian military vehicles in the Zaporizhzhia region.

The caption accompanying the released video stated, “SSO burned 10 items of enemy heavy vehicles and automobiles in the direction of Zaporizhzhia.”

The report said that operators of an SSO unit inflicted significant damage in Russian equipment using FPV drones. The destroyed Russian military equipment included two self-propelled artillery pieces, a 203-mm 2C7 Pion and a 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika. The attack also took out two 122mm D-30 howitzers, an armored personnel carrier, and five automobiles.

The posted footage also showed Ukrainian drones penetrating trenches, accompanied by explosions and visible smoke, that caused the Russian troops in them to pull out.

In an interview with Kyiv Post, a Ukrainian aerial scout revealed that the basic configuration of the FPV drones used here cost between Hr. 14,000 to 17,000 ($358 - $434). This starkly contrasts with the significantly higher costs of the destroyed Russian military equipment. The Pion self-propelled artillery piece, which dates back to 1990, is valued at almost half a million rubles ($5,410), while the more modern Gvozdika howitzer is worth about $1.5 million.

The Ukrainian serviceman highlighted the strategic importance of the two self-propelled guns. The Pion is the largest caliber of self-propelled artillery in the Russian inventory while the Gvozdika is a highly maneuverable weapons system.

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Local authorities said the drone strike damaged at least two hotels in addition to a “heat-generating infrastructure,” though no casualties have been reported at present.

This successful operation follows on from other recent SSO achievements by the SSO. In a single day, one of its units eliminated 13 Russian soldiers and disabled six pieces of equipment, including two tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles, an armored fighting vehicle and a TOS-1A 220mm “Solntsepyok” heavy flamethrower system, all through the effective use of FPV drones.

While the report did not specify the models of tank destroyed, the value of a single tank could amount to several million dollars with that of the “Solntsepyok” system ranging from $6.5 million to $15 million depending on the exact specification and year of manufacture.

Successful operations such as these underscore the cost-effectiveness of FPV drone technology, and the tactics used by the SSO in neutralizing high-value Russian military assets.