On the morning of May 4, two russian main battle tanks spearheaded an advance toward Ukrainian defensive positions near Kyslivka. Thanks to the vigilance and firepower of the Achilles 429th Separate Unmanned Aerial Systems Regiment, the armored thrust was turned back more than two kilometers from Ukraine's forward line.
Bomber crews had emplaced anti‑tank mines along likely avenues of approach, and FPV‑drone teams delivered precision strikes that halted the lead vehicles before they could threaten Ukrainian infantry. This engagement vividly underscored how unmanned systems extend the battlefield "kill‑zone", intercepting enemy formations well before they reach entrenched defenders.
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Just twenty‑four hours later, on May 5, the same Regiment repelled russian infantry assault north of Kivsharivka. Deprived of sufficient armored support, russian commanders resorted to foot‑soldier assaults against mine‑belted terrain and dug‑in UAV operators.
Echoing their success a day earlier, UAV crews disrupted the attackers' formations at stand‑off range, inflicting heavy casualties. Over the two‑day period, Ukrainian reports confirm approximately ten occupiers killed and twenty wounded.
These actions highlight two critical lessons of the current war: first, the growing importance of unmanned aerial and ground‑launched munitions in defending fixed positions; and second, the vulnerability of infantry assaults conducted without adequate combined‑arms coordination. As russian forces continue to press across the Donetsk and Kharkiv sectors, units like the 429th Regiment will remain at the forefront, leveraging drones and precision‑deployed minefields to blunt enemy advances long before they can close with Ukrainian foot soldiers.
As Defense Express previously reported, throughout April 2025, the Achilles 429th Regiment of the Ukrainian Land Forces scored 1,967 hits on enemy targets, destroying or damaging them, the unit's press service reported on social media. Operating along the hot fronts of Kupiansk and Dvorichna in the Kharkiv region, the regiment struck a wide array of russian assets: from reconnaissance drones like Supercam and Orlan-10 to self-propelled artillery systems, tanks, bridge-laying vehicles, and other armored equipment.
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