A Ukrainian soldier, known by the call sign “Ara,” uses his partially amputated arm to steady a drone being fitted with a grenade. Wounded in 2022, he now trains recruits in drone operations. Donetsk region, Ukraine
Ukraine’s battle against the Russian invasion is reshaping modern combat. Hobby drones are being repurposed into remote-controlled weapons, and mass-produced first-person-view (FPV) drones are piloted from kilometers away with deadly precision. These developments have triggered an unrelenting drone arms race and turned vast areas of Ukraine into “kill zones”. Civilians are targeted and displaced, and soldiers spend most of their time in underground bunkers or basements, unable to be resupplied or casualty-evacuated. This story documents Ukraine's efforts to advance its drone capabilities, and the impact of Russian drone attacks on civilians.
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