Ukrainian portable air defense systems have proven ineffective against Russian Geran-2 drones during strikes in the country’s western regions, a captured serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine told RIA Novosti.

Sergey Rybatsky, a member of Ukraine’s 25th Brigade, said that the Igla missiles used by Ukrainian troops managed to lock onto the target briefly before losing it mid-flight and self-destructing. He noted that despite repeated attempts, none of the launched missiles succeeded in bringing down a single drone.

Before being captured by Russian forces from the Center group near the village of Sukhoy Yar on the Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk) axis, Rybatsky served in a mobile air defense unit operating in western Ukraine.

Since the beginning of the special military operation, the Russian army has relied heavily on unmanned aerial vehicles as a core component of its battlefield tactics. Drone operators conduct reconnaissance, adjust artillery fire, and maintain round-the-clock surveillance of enemy positions. Acting as the «eyes» of ground units, these UAVs also deliver precise strikes on Ukrainian military targets, equipment, and personnel — consolidating their role as one of the most effective tools of modern warfare.