Ukrainian drone operator takes down Russian Shahed in 10-minute mission

The West Air Command reported the information.

According to the serviceman, his unit was on position for nearly a full day — from eleven o'clock in the evening until five o'clock the next morning. During this time, the air temperature ranged from minus seven to minus eleven degrees Celsius.

"There was no nervousness whatsoever. Only anger at the enemy and a desire not to let them hit our targets on the ground. We understood in advance that there was a high probability of a Shahed appearing in our strike zone, so we prepared everything beforehand," Oleh recounts.

According to him, the interceptor drone was equipped with a warhead and launched into the air at the moment when the enemy UAV was already near their position. The target was successfully destroyed on the first attempt.

"I simply did everything we were taught at the training center. It's teamwork: the pilot, navigator, sapper, driver — everyone works toward the result," the serviceman notes.

Intercepting strike drones requires thorough preparation and endurance. According to Oleh, first it's necessary to study the flight routes of enemy UAVs and choose the right position, after which a long wait may begin.

"The interceptor rises into the sky and the pilot has about 10 minutes for everything. So the correctness of maneuvers and approach to the target matters a great deal," Oleh explains.