Ukrainian troops reported that they blasted a Russian drone launcher using an American-made HIMARS rocket launcher.
The Ukrainian troops were in the “southern direction” Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO) reported via Telegram. While the region where the attack took place was not specified, Ukraine’s southern front lines are in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
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“SSO continues to carry out their tasks and destroy the enemy in all operational directions,” reads the caption of the video the SSO released.
As reported by the SSO, a crew of Ukrainian drone operators from the SSO 73rd Maritime Center first detected a Russian ZALA-type drone while conducting reconnaissance.
By tracking it, the Ukrainians were able to find a Russian mobile launcher “with containers for storing ZALA and Lancet drones.”
The SSO aerial reconnaissance operators then relayed the coordinates to Ukraine’s HIMARS operators.
Video footage shows the Russian mobile launcher and containers for storing anti-aircraft missiles being destroyed in fire from the Ukrainian attack.
Kyiv Post could not independently verify the time and location of the footage.
Russian troops utilize the Lancet, commonly called a “kamikaze” drone together with the ZALA 421-16E2 reconnaissance drone.
Both drones are made by Russia’s ZALA Aero Group.
The ZALA reconnaissance drone identifies the target. Then Russian drone operators launch their Lancet at the specified coordinates.
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The ZALA reconnaissance drone monitors the situation as the Lancet approaches its target, as the final stretch of the Lancet's journey is beyond the operator's control due to radio interference and obstacles such as buildings or trees.
Following the full-scale invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine, the utilization of Lancet drones by Russian forces has become widespread.
The Lancet UAV is a barrage munition with a maximum airspeed of 300 kph (186 mph). Its full flight range ranges from 40-50 kilometers (25 to 30 miles), depending on the configuration, and its maximum take-off weight is approximately 12 kilograms (27 pounds).
It can be equipped with high-explosive fragmentation or cumulative warheads in combat mode.
The Lancet serves both reconnaissance and strike missions, equipped with optical-electronic guidance and a television guidance unit for controlling the ammunition during the final stage of flight.
Earlier, the Ukrainian military destroyed two Russian BM-21 “Grad” missiles in the south using the American HIMARS artillery rocket system.
In a separate incident, drones from the 73rd Maritime Center operating in the southern sector identified another valuable Russian target.
Despite poor visibility conditions, they coordinated another HIMARS strike, destroying a Russian Osa (wasp) air defense missile complex.
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