Russian drone operator with the call sign «Shkiper» says Russian units on the Sumy axis disrupted plans by Ukrainian forces to build a deeply layered defensive line.

According to him, during combat missions Russian troops used «Shtorm» reconnaissance unmanned systems. As a result of these strikes, he reported, Russian forces destroyed around ten heavy excavators along with other construction equipment that Ukrainian units had brought in to prepare the new fortified line. Shkiper noted that the enemy had concentrated a large amount of machinery there and believed it was safe because the site was located more than 50 kilometers from the front line, but Russian operators were able to locate the target and engage it.

Shkiper also stated that the «Shtorm» drone, built in a flying-wing configuration, is capable of operating at ranges of about 60 kilometers. In his words, the platform combines favorable aerodynamic characteristics with a powerful engine and remains stable in adverse weather conditions. He pointed out that the operating manual allows the drone to be used in winds of up to 15 meters per second, yet Russian units have successfully flown it in winds reaching 20 meters per second.

Earlier reports noted that the «Shtorm» reconnaissance UAV, developed in Moscow, is actively employed on various sectors of the special military operation (SVO) and is widely used in the «Sever» and «Vostok» groupings. The drone is used to adjust artillery fire and relay up-to-date information from the line of contact. It can follow a preset route without relying on satellite navigation, operates on non-standard frequency bands and, according to these reports, demonstrates high resistance to electronic warfare systems.