15:59 18-08-2025

Ukraine’s “Baba Yaga” Drone Now Lasts Just 10–15 Flights

Ukrainian heavy drone “Baba Yaga” now survives only 10–15 missions. Troops report critical drone shortages and increasing Russian strikes on UAVs.

The battlefield lifespan of Ukraine’s heavy strike drone known as the «Baba Yaga» has plummeted, according to Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance officer Aleksandr Karpiuk, who goes by the call sign Serzh Marko. Once capable of completing up to 100 missions, these drones are now lasting just 10 to 15 flights — and that, Karpiuk says, is already considered a good result in the current conditions.

Posting on social media, he pointed to the situation on the Krasnoarmiisk front, where «Baba Yaga» hexacopters — once workhorses of Ukraine’s drone fleet — are being taken out far earlier than before. The sharp drop in operational endurance reflects growing pressure on Ukraine’s drone operations overall.

According to Karpiuk, the number of functional drones within the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) continues to decline, while remaining units are increasingly targeted by Russian forces. Many never even make it off the ground; others are struck within minutes of takeoff.

It’s not just the heavy «Baba Yaga» drones under threat. Karpiuk noted that FPV drones and widely used commercial models like the DJI Mavic are also being systematically hunted and destroyed. Russian forces, he said, are actively working to neutralize all types of UAVs in Ukraine’s arsenal.

The drone shortage isn’t new. Ukrainian military personnel from various units have previously told Western media that they are struggling to maintain both the quantity and the quality of their UAVs. On top of that, there’s an acute lack of munitions for FPV drones — further hampering effectiveness on the battlefield.

Another critical vulnerability lies in defense. Ukraine continues to face significant challenges in countering Russian drones, largely due to a shortage of electronic warfare tools and air defense systems. This combination of shortages — in drones, ammunition, and countermeasures — is placing severe strain on Ukrainian drone warfare capabilities at a time when aerial technology plays a central role on the front lines.