Ukraine’s drone pilot calls it his proudest strike: cheap FPV drone detonating over two tons of explosives packed inside Russian mine-clearer

Skipper, a commander in Ukraine's 413th Raid Unmanned Systems Regiment, considers his destruction of a Russian UR-77 mine-clearing vehicle with drones during the 2023 counteroffensive as his proudest strike. The UR-77, dubbed Zmiy Horynych after a fire-breathing serpent from Slavic folklore, carries a rocket-fired line charge loaded with more than two tons of explosives.

Skipper, who joined the army at the start of the full-scale invasion and has since transitioned from infantry and aerial reconnaissance to commanding an FPV unit, described the explosion of the UR-77 as "unbelievable" after the second drone strike. He attributes his success to his background in sailing, where knowledge of navigation and radio communication proves valuable in military operations.

Skipper believes that technological advantages, such as the use of FPV drones, can be crucial to achieving victory. The UR-77's primary function was to clear minefields during the 1970s conflict, but modern Russia uses the vehicle to target Ukrainian fortifications, flattening defenses instead of creating paths.