On the morning of July 9, Ukrainian “Bober” attack drones were seen flying over Russia’s Astrakhan region. Preliminary reports suggest they may have targeted a military training ground and airfield in the area.
Footage of these drones was released by local Telegram channels. One of the drones landed in a field, likely due to a technical malfunction. Footage shows it painted in black, light-absorbing paint to enhance nighttime invisibility during attacks.
Painting attack drone fuselages black isn’t a new tactic — the Russian military has already used it to camouflage their Shahed-136 drones for night operations.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claims its air defenses intercepted five drones in the Astrakhan region during an attack. Locals additionally reported shooting down one drone in the air.
Since the beginning of 2024, Ukraine has started a massive drone campaign, systematically targeting Russian oil refineries, which has a tangible impact on the Russian economy.
Over the past year, Ukraine has launched dozens of drone productions both, inside the country and in collaboration with allied countries.
Particularly, UAC a Czech-Ukrainian company, has launched serial production of reconnaissance drones Leleka-LR and “Bulava” for Ukrainian soldiers in Kolín, Czech Republic.
Earlier, on June 18, at Eurosatory 2024, one of the world’s biggest international defense exhibitions held in Paris, Ukraine showcased a kamikaze drone named “Mace” for export.
