A Russian soldier has apparently survived a Ukrainian attack by headbutting an incoming kamikaze drone, according to footage shared on social media.
The short clip was published on Thursday by Ukrainian media, which said it had been shared with them by a soldier.
The footage was filmed from the air and shows a ravine next to a heavily damaged structure. A man in uniform is seen rapidly crawling towards an exit as a small quadcopter drone buzzes next to him.
The soldier rolls over, stands up and faces the kamikaze UAV, which briefly stalls before darting toward its target. The troop lunges forward and delivers a blow with his helmeted head, triggering an explosion.
After the smoke clears, the soldier can be seen walking away and taking cover under some trees.
Ukrainian media claimed that the Russian solider had walked away “like in a zombie movie to die under the nearest tree,” although the footage does not confirm this.
Cheap first-person-view (FPV) drones carrying small explosive charges are extensively used by both sides in the Ukraine conflict, often to thwart enemy attempts to advance or to target troops taking cover inside buildings and trenches.
Russia reportedly has an advantage due to its robust electronic warfare capabilities, while Ukraine has limited options for weaponizing commercially-available civilian unmanned aircraft.