Stick vs. drone: Ukrainian footage shows desperate Russian tactics
2:22 AM EST, November 30, 2023
An extraordinary video from one of the Ukrainian army's operations has gone viral. The footage shows a drone attacking a solitary Russian soldier who, in response, scrambled to use whatever he could find in his defense.
Since February 2022, Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been ongoing with no apparent end in sight. The front-line situation fluctuates rather dynamically. Russia continues to deploy new units, relying heavily on its vast manpower. Conversely, Ukraine has the support of numerous Western countries, equipping soldiers with not only military expertise but also an enormity of advanced technology.
A substantial portion of the equipment arriving and continually dispatched to the front consists of unmanned drones. These remotely controlled devices pose a lethal threat to the opposition, without jeopardizing the controller. Such equipment often finds use in surprise attacks, sabotage, or targeting isolated entities.
An illustrative example of what an attack by an explosive-laden drone looks like is a video posted by the NEXTA portal on the X platform (formerly Twitter). The footage originates from a Ukrainian drone and an additional camera, which documented the entire operation from a safe distance.
Stick Versus Drone: Russian Soldier's Futile Defense
The drone's attack subject is a lone, stationed soldier who attempts to drive the drone away by any means. His initial approach was rather rudimentary. Upon the drone's arrival, he first scampered around a trailer located nearby. After realizing this evasion tactic was ineffectual, he resorted to combating the device with... a stick.
As expected, the stick proved futile against the drone, which was able to land right under the Russian soldier's feet. The video concludes with a substantial explosion resulting from the explosive charges affixed to the drone. There is enough evidence to suggest that the soldier likely did not survive the explosion.
While the desperation of the Russian soldier's fight for survival appears quite tragic, many viewers appear amused by his attempt to subdue a drone with a stick. This effect is further accentuated by the background music of the "Kalinka" playing during the event.
"There's a moment when it echoes a Neanderthal man encountering unfamiliar technology and resorting to hurling sticks at it," observed NEXTA regarding the video.
