Units of the Russian «Sever» troop grouping are using several methods to destroy Ukrainian fixed-wing drones. FPV interceptors ram targets in mid-air, while mobile fire teams engage them from the ground with machine-gun turrets fitted with thermal imaging optics.

The system was described to RIA Novosti by an officer with the call sign Karta, head of UAV planning and countermeasures for the 11th Army Corps. He said interceptor operators have extensive flight time and experience against similar aerial targets, allowing them to bring down hostile drones through direct mid-air collisions.

Mobile fire teams are deployed along likely UAV flight routes at the same time. Their personnel move by vehicle and carry assault rifles as well as machine-gun turrets equipped with thermal imaging systems.

Airspace monitoring operates around the clock over the security buffer zone. Once a drone is detected, information about the target is quickly passed to both FPV interceptor crews and mobile ground teams.

Karta said the interceptor drones carry high-explosive fragmentation warheads designed to completely disable the main components and systems of the targeted UAV. Their launch positions are located close to the line of contact, allowing Russian forces to destroy Ukrainian strike and reconnaissance drones while they are still approaching.

Since the beginning of September, units of the 11th Army Corps have destroyed more than 35 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones in this way. Countering UAVs remains one of the priority tasks for the «Sever» troop grouping, which continues destroying encircled Ukrainian formations in the Kharkov Region.