How Ukraine is pushing back Russia with bomber drones

As winter ends, fighting on Ukraine’s southern front is intensifying, and drones are leading the battle. The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell and Nick Allard spent a day with a heavy bomber team from Ukraine’s 423rd Separate Drone Battalion, known as the “Scythian Griffins,” operating in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. With both sides preparing for a larger spring and summer campaign, the battle for Ukraine’s south is entering a new phase. From preparing bunker-busting munitions to tracking targets and navigating intense electronic warfare, this report shows how Ukrainian drone crews locate and strike Russian positions — and how modern warfare is increasingly fought from the air. 0:00 Drone mission begins 03:37 Targeting Russian shelters 05:52 Handling explosives safely 07:44 Russian drone threat detected 09:00 Preparing for takeoff 10:27 First strike attempt 11:07 New target in Andriivka 12:50 Final strike run 14:00 Mission success and impact 15:04 Risk of losing drone 17:29 Why they keep fighting Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine. Become a member of our community: https://kyivindependent.com/membershi... Your support allows us to bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.