The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Platoon of the 1st International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine is a unique unit. Every member is a volunteer — motivated and well-trained. They do far more than "push buttons." They constantly hone their skills, studying complex technical details.
These people understand radio frequencies, the principles behind advanced modern equipment, and how the enemy tries to disrupt their work. They operate not only under conditions of active electronic warfare but also under regular retaliatory strikes, where importance of camouflage cannot be overstated. If the occupiers manage to pinpoint the launch location of Ukrainian drones, they will not hesitate to use guided aerial bombs, regardless of the costly aircraft sortie, not to mention artillery barrages or cheaper means of destruction.
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The unit’s personnel include both Ukrainian and foreign volunteers. Some are seasoned fighters who have completed countless missions, sending dozens of russian "orcs" to hell. Others have recently completed basic training, learning from more experienced brothers-in-arms and developing their own signature in the deadly art of modern warfare.
The team maintains a philosophical outlook:
"Of course, taking a life is a bad thing," says Mykola, a member of the 1st International Legion, describing the unit’s daily combat reality. "Hitting a target as a drone operator is not a simple process. You need to get a "bird" in the air without enemy radio jamming or weapons interfering, hit the target, and ensure that the complex equipment with its many components works perfectly. It’s nothing like casually pressing buttons to kill enemies while grilling sausages and sipping beer, as some might imagine from the outside. Besides, the enemy has plenty of drones too — and more. If you’re ready to destroy the enemy, you must also be ready for them to kill you. But a well-executed flight mission and a destroyed enemy target always bring satisfaction to the pilot. And after all, why was that orc running around here in the first place? Who invited him? Let him lie in the grass now and rest," Mykola concludes.
His words about enemy activity are punctuated by the sounds around us during the interview: the sharp blasts of incoming fire, small-arms fire likely targeting enemy aerial threats. After one nearby impact shakes the dugout, causing the roof to seemingly bounce, a journalist asks what that was.
"I don’t know," replies a volunteer from the United States with the callsign Popeye. "But I’ll grab my rifle." A moment later, the assault rifle is in his hands as he calmly continues answering questions.
Mando is also American. Unlike Popeye, this is his first combat deployment. To say he’s handling it well would be an understatement:
"The team here is really good, and I’m truly enjoying my time here," Mando says, smiling after another explosion rumbles nearby.
He adds that the humor of his brothers-in-arms and the absolute competence of the command, who teach and guide him through everything needed for this demanding combat work, keep morale high.
A veteran of the team, Pancake, is from India. At the start of russia’s full-scale invasion, he was studying at a university in Kharkiv. Without hesitation, he volunteered and has been fighting for over three years. His outward calm, unusual modesty, and quiet intelligence, paired with his lean frame, might give a deceptive impression. But the moment the bird lifts off, Pancake’s gaze locks onto the screen, his hands settle on the controls, and the focused expression and spark in his eyes reveal the true spirit of a warrior.
"There’s a threat of war in India as well. Did you ever consider using your skills there?" we ask Pancake.
"Kharkiv has become my second home. Now I’m defending it, and I intend to keep doing so," he answers with the simplicity and determination of an experienced soldier, stating a fact that is obvious to him.
Callsign "Morzh" (Walrus) is a Ukrainian. He worked in IT, earning a prestigious salary and living a life of choice. Despite a moderate but intense combat background, he advises and mentors the team, communicating with complex technology with ease. When asked what is happening here, Morzh responds as a soldier should — briefly, clearly, and without embellishment:
"This is where russians are being destroyed."
He adds that he joined the 1st International Legion to work alongside motivated people who didn’t come here without reason.
"Overall," Morzh says, "I got exactly what I wanted."
Mykola does not hide that he expects the unit to expand. Right now, motivated volunteers ready to learn, regardless of faith, race, or birthplace, have the opportunity to join the UAV team of the 1st International Legion. To do so, one needs to be a "serious nerd," constantly studying and mastering complex subjects. Anyone with this quality can be taught everything else, but a thorough approach and a drive for self-development are critical. In war, there are no small details; the meticulous planning of an operation is a matter of life and death — your own, your brothers’, and your enemy’s.
Here, no one is just another line on a roster. Еach is a valued specialist treated accordingly. When the commander sees that a candidate can handle combat tasks, they send them for advanced training in specialized courses. Both Ukrainians and foreigners receive proper certification and a military occupational specialty. If necessary, a translator accompanies them to ensure they master the profession — skills that will remain relevant anywhere in the world.
Amid distant and not-so-distant explosions, following camouflage protocols and with weapons ready, we return with our guides. They move in this environment like fish in water, but their hands remain on their weapons, and for good reason. The UAV team continues its routine: radio orders and reports, coordinated battery recharges, equipment checks, control consoles coming alive in skilled hands, and another drone quietly flying overhead, working with calm vigilance.
Every second, they risk their lives to bring security to peaceful villages and towns and to ensure that any invader attempting to storm Ukrainian lands, on foot or in vehicles, will meet a harsh and likely painful end.
Because here, the mission is clear: to cleanse the land and stop this new incarnation of global evil. These are volunteer soldiers, the best people on the planet — legionnaires of the free world.
This is where russians are being destroyed.
To learn more about the International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine, visit: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/
Text, Photos:
Volodymyr Patola
Video:
Yevhen Malienko, Volodymyr Patola
Editing:
Oleksandr Los
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