AFP – At a secret location in the Ukrainian city of Lviv, whose windows are taped to ward off unwanted attention, underground hobbyists are improvising deadly drones destined for the front lines of the war against Russia.
The X-shaped frame of a drone sits on a cluttered table between bundles of plastic propellers and bags of tiny screws.
Soon it will take off with its payload – an anti-tank grenade the size of a wine bottle, designed to crash into Russian vehicles.
Two other drones are already attached with quad-propellers, their squat bodies gaping open with miniature bomb bays to rain explosives on Russian infantry challenging Ukrainian defenders to the north and east.
Another – the shape of a stealth bomber, the size of a raptor – will conduct reconnaissance missions for artillery squads, locating targets and marking them for incoming fire.
Get the daily Times of Israel by email and never miss our headlines again
By registering you agree to the terms
Since the Russian invasion, the Nebesna Kara (“punishment from above”) collective has manufactured around 40 such special drones for the Ukrainian military.
Before February 24th, its six members were friends in the drone racing community.
“Unfortunately, everything has changed,” said Alex, a member who declined to give his full name for security reasons.
Ukrainian activists work on a drone in western Lviv on April 1, 2022. (Aleksey Filippov/AFP)
hit and run
Analysts say Ukraine’s armed forces were undermanned and outgunned in the war with Russia. But their tenacious defenses have thrived on local knowledge, hit-and-run tactics, and technological sabotage.
In the early days of the invasion, it was feared that the capital, Kyiv, would fall to a 40-mile (65-kilometer) Russian armored column approaching from the north.
Mobile teams armed with drones reportedly played a key role in repelling this attack, marking targets for airstrikes and forcing the convoy to disperse.
“This is a technique for reconnaissance and artillery control,” said Nebesna Kara member Dmitriy, who declined to be identified.
Ukrainian activists work on a drone in western Lviv on April 1, 2022. (Aleksey Filippov/AFP)
“Now there’s a lot of demand for such subversive devices,” he said.
The collective, which also has 10 “advisory members” and draws on the knowledge of 877 enthusiasts via online chat, receives assignments from military specialists in trouble spots.
Your flying Frankenstein creations will be assembled from over-the-counter kits, 3D printed parts and components ordered from a Chinese online retailer.
At one end of the room, the parts are scattered on a workbench—microchip-strewn circuit boards, electrical wires, bulbous electric motors.
“Cheaper than iPhones”
Ukraine’s military relies heavily on donations to bolster the country’s defenses. Foreign nations have provided “deadly aid” and ordinary citizens have been asked for cash.
Alex says their miniature drone program works the same way. Specialists tell them what they need the drone for, and they custom-build it using crowdfunding cash.
But the benefits far outweigh the costs.
Ukrainian activists work on a drone in western Lviv on April 1, 2022. (Aleksey Filippov/AFP)
On his phone, Dmitriy shows a video from a drone’s perspective whizzing over a Russian trench, highlighting weapon positions hidden in the troubled earth.
“If you have a regular pilot who’s used to operating this stuff, he can fly over this trench and in five minutes he’ll have all the information he needs,” Alex said.
“An iPhone costs more than this equipment,” he said.
Outgoing packages with drones and spare parts are stacked to the side of the workshop.
One is destined for the southern city of Mykolaiv. On Tuesday, a rocket attack punched a hole in the regional government building there, killing 28 people.
Prepared for dispatch, it is accompanied by a handwritten note in red and blue felt-tip pen, addressed to the Ukrainian pilot – and perhaps also to the Russian troops at the city’s gates.
“From Nebesna Kara with love,” it says.
Do you appreciate The Times of Israel?
Then we have a request.
Every day our journalists want to update you on the most important developments that deserve your attention. Millions of people rely on ToI for fast, fair, and free coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
We care about Israel – and we know you do too. So today we have a request: Show your appreciation for our work by showing us Join the Times of Israel Communityan exclusive group for readers like you who appreciate and support our work financially.
Yes, I give Yes, I give Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You are an engaged reader
That’s why we launched the Times of Israel ten years ago, to provide discerning readers like you with essential coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news agencies, we have not set up a paywall. However, as the journalism we do is expensive, we invite readers who have found The Times of Israel important to support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For just $6 a month, you can support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREEas well as access exclusive content only available to members of the Times of Israel Community.
Thanks,
David Horovitz, founding editor of the Times of Israel
Join our community Join our community Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this