A video claiming to show a Ukrainian “Baba Yaga” drone targeting Russian fortifications in the Kursk region has emerged online as Ukraine continues its unexpected incursion across the border.
The night-vision footage, which lacks specific details on timing or location, appears to depict at least three bombs being released from the drone. This video was shared by Anton Gerashchenko, a former aide to Ukraine’s Interior Ministry, and is reportedly set in Kursk, where Ukraine is deep into its cross-border operation.
Originally agricultural devices, Ukraine’s Baba Yaga drones have transformed into serious heavy hitters against Russian forces, demonstrating remarkable adaptability.
Kostya Liberov/Libkos via Getty Images
Sources have noted that these drones have been upgraded to perform nighttime operations and can travel greater distances without alerting Russian troops. Recent reports also indicate that they now utilize guided bombs.
This situation gained attention last Tuesday when Ukraine commenced its cross-border raid, which a Ukrainian official claimed involved “thousands” of personnel. President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned the offensive for the first time on Saturday, after Russian President Vladimir Putin branded it a “large-scale provocation.”
While Russian officials assert they have thwarted Ukraine’s progress, reports from Russia’s Defense Ministry on Sunday confirmed ongoing fighting within 20 miles inside their territory. They stated that an attempt to push forward in the Belovsky district was blocked.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that Ukraine not only maintained its positions in Kursk but also made slight advances beyond previously established lines.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, claimed the incursion aimed to intimidate Russian civilians and lacked military rationale. She warned that a significant response from Russian armed forces was imminent.
Kursk’s Acting Governor Alexei Smirnov declared a state of emergency last week, with Russia’s FSB security service leading a “counter-terrorism operation” in border regions, granting authorities enhanced powers.
Reports indicate over 8,000 residents have been evacuated from Kursk in the last 24 hours, according to Russian state media.
Russia reported losses of up to 1,350 Ukrainian fighters, along with 29 tanks and numerous armored vehicles during the incursion. Conversely, Ukraine claimed that Russia suffered 1,220 casualties in just one day, as well as losses of six tanks, 13 armored vehicles, and 58 artillery systems.