Russian drone reduces Ukrainian armored vehicle to burned-out wreck (MOD VIDEO)
The Russian Defense Ministry has showcased a first-person view (FPV) strike against a Ukrainian infantry fighting vehicle in a video released on Monday.
The footage shows the interception of the moving military vehicle from several angles, including the robotic aircraft’s perspective. The kamikaze drone targeted a vulnerable section of the vehicle, circumventing the anti-drone shield that protected it from above.
Additional segments filmed from a distance captured a powerful explosion, depicted through thermal imaging and visible light. The armored vehicle was left a charred wreck, with only the lower chassis remaining relatively intact.
The military said a unit from the Zapad force carried out the strike, confirming it took place in Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).
In its regular update earlier in the day, the ministry reported ongoing combat near three settlements in the DPR, where Zapad troops had recently engaged. Their operations reportedly led to the destruction of two tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles, four military vehicles, two artillery pieces, and an electronic warfare station.
Russian forces have been making significant battlefield gains in recent months, while media reports indicate that Ukraine is struggling to achieve its military mobilization goals amid high desertion rates among conscripted recruits.
Last week, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky announced a plan to draft “volunteers” aged 18 to 24 – a group currently exempt from mandatory enlistment. Although existing laws permit these individuals to join the military, Zelensky claimed the government could offer appealing incentives, including generous salaries, to attract more recruits.
