Ukrainian drone unit near Bakhmut trying to plug gap left by ammunition shortages

(24 Apr 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bakhmut, Ukraine - 23-24 April 2024
++NIGHT SHOTS++
1. Wide of Ukrainian servicemen from Code 9.2 unit, part of 92nd brigade, preparing Starlink satellite
2. Various of soldiers adjusting antenna
3. Various of soldiers preparing Vampire drone for flight
4. Various of Vampire drone taking off
5. Soldier going into dugout
6. Soldier using controller to fly Vampire drone
7. Close of screen of controller showing bomb targeting Russian vehicle
8. SOUNDBITE (Russian) "Butcher" (nom de guerre), Ukrainian serviceman of Code 9.2 unit:
“We have to improvise with what we have. If we don’t have artillery support because they don’t have shells, we have to find other ways to destroy the enemy, and drones work like nothing else. At least we can get them from somewhere, for example FPVs - they are soldered at homes, so it is at least some way out from this situation (lack of shells) in my opinion. It’s not like we do it because we want to, we don’t have a choice.”
9. Various of soldier using controller to fly Vampire drone
10. Close of screen of controller showing bomb targeting Russian vehicle
11. Close of soldier using controller
12. Close of screen of controller showing bomb targeting Russian vehicle
13. Close of soldier's hands on controller
14. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) “Dvizh” (nom de guerre), Ukrainian serviceman of Code 9.2 unit:
“You need to see on the unit level, not just me. I never counted how many I killed. Well, I killed 400 for sure.”
15. Various of soldiers from Code 9.2 going into truck and leaving
STORYLINE:
As Ukrainian soldiers wait for more ammunition and air defence support from international allies, a drone team from Code 9.2 - part of 92nd brigade - arrives at a dugout near the eastern town of Bakhmut, which was seized by Russian forces last May.

One of the unit soldiers - who goes by the call-sign "Butcher" says they are having to improvise to fill the gap left by lack of shells and artillery.

"We have to find other ways to destroy the enemy, and drones work like nothing else...It’s not like we do it because we want to, we don’t have a choice,” said Butcher.

Ukrainian commanders have complained about dire ammunition shortages since late December. By February, heads of artillery units in several regions said they had less than 10% of the supplies they needed as Kyiv rushed to economise shells.

Ukrainian officials on Wednesday expressed thanks for a fresh batch of U.S. military aid that threw Kyiv’s armed forces a lifeline in their more than two-year war with Russia, even though the new supplies aren’t expected to have an immediate impact on the battlefield.

At the dugout in eastern Ukraine, a drone operator from Code 9.2. - who goes by the call-sign "Dvizh" - stares at the screen showing images of Russian vehicles moving along a road. He aims, then drops an explosive onto the moving vehicle.

“We don't count how many we killed…I never counted how many I killed. Well, I killed 400 for sure,” Dvizh said.

The U.S. decision came as the Kremlin’s army extended its bombardment of the northeastern Kharkiv region and Ukrainian long-range drones struck more fuel and energy facilities inside Russia.

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