Inside Nemesis: The Ukrainian Unit Flying the Dreaded ‘Baba Yaga’

Kyiv Post visited a live drone training session with the 412th Separate Nemesis Unmanned Systems Regiment, one of the most effective units in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The regiment has hundreds of confirmed enemy kills worth tens of millions of dollars in equipment, both on the front lines and deep behind enemy lines.

We filmed exclusive footage and spoke with two servicemen, call signs “Leo” and “Ben,” who operate the Nemesis UAVs. These large, satellite-linked bombers can fly up to 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) and strike armored targets, artillery, vehicles, and shelters with devastating precision. Nemesis drones are guided via Starlink, allowing operators to control them from virtually anywhere in the world.

The Russians have dubbed this class of heavy Ukrainian drone “Baba Yaga,” after the mythological witch, because they strike silently at night and leave nothing behind. While there is no single drone called Baba Yaga in Ukraine, the term has come to represent the entire type of long-range Ukrainian strike UAV.

Their reach has grown dramatically, from just a few kilometers to deep strikes dozens of kilometers into Russian-held territory. This is a rare look into how modern drone warfare is changing the battlefield – and the people behind it.