A video circulating online shows a russian reconnaissance drone filming a Ukrainian heavy drone, known to russian forces as Baba Yaga, firing its mounted machine gun.
As OSINT experts later determined, the events in the video took place near the village of Varvarivka, not far from the town of Huliaipole, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The video shows a Ukrainian drone periodically dropping munitions on russian troops, in addition to firing a mounted machine gun.
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The poor video quality does not allow for a closer look at the Ukrainian drone, but it appears that the machine gun is mounted in a suspended turret. No high-quality images of this Ukrainian drone are currently available online, so we'll have to wait for more information and photos.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time Ukrainian heavy drones have been spotted carrying machine guns or rifles. In 2024, videos emerged showing such drones firing on the occupying forces.
Photos and videos of these drones in action are rare, and very little footage has emerged since the start of the full-scale invasion. These drones can be a cost-effective way to target russian forces and slow their advance.
This is especially notable in the case of the Baba Yaga drone, which has been seen equipped with a machine gun as well as bombs, allowing for more flexible use by selecting the appropriate weapon in flight depending on the target, whether light vehicles or infantry.
It is worth noting that russians currently lag behind Ukraine in heavy drone technology for strike operations, although they say they plan to strengthen this capability and are already taking steps to address the issue.
There are also ongoing efforts abroad to develop heavy drone systems equipped with machine guns. For example, Israel has developed its own Fire Storm 250, which can even take off from a moving vehicle.
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