Survival is 'just a bonus' — Inside one of the Ukrainian army's most dangerous jobs
KHARKIV OBLAST — On a summer day in an abandoned village in eastern Ukraine, drones had just zeroed in on a house when a Russian soldier, claiming to surrender, walked out. Instead, he pulled out a grenade. Seconds later, a Ukrainian reconnaissance team opened fire and killed him, said one of its soldiers, call sign "Psycho." "It's a very big risk for our team," Psycho said. "You understand that…
In eastern Ukraine, a Ukrainian reconnaissance team faced a dangerous situation when a Russian soldier, claiming to surrender, walked out of a house. Instead, he pulled out a grenade and was killed by the team, according to one of its soldiers, identified as "Psycho." Working in teams of two, the soldiers cleared houses under constant Russian drone surveillance, which often forced them to take cover for hours.
Reconnaissance soldiers must stay alert and make quick decisions, as hesitation can cost their survival. The role of reconnaissance soldiers has evolved with the rise of highly maneuverable, low-cost FPV drones, which have transformed the battlefield since 2023. Their duties now include ambushing the enemy, countering Russian infiltrators, and clearing out Russian positions.
Despite the use of FPV drones to target Russian positions, encounters with Russian soldiers and engaging in firefights still occur, as drones cannot reach all targets. Ukrainian reconnaissance soldiers must gather information from phones, maps, and radio to locate enemy units and counter infiltration attempts. In critical moments, such as approaching a Russian position, mistakes can be fatal, and soldiers rely on muscle memory due to the stress of the situation.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
