General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine claim that one of its Bayraktar TB2 drones has destroyed an artillery piece belonging to Russia-backed militants in the east of the country.

A video was posted on governmental social media channels, capturing what appears to be a D-20 122 mm howitzer being destroyed in an explosion. 

According to the post, a battery of howitzers started shelling Ukrainian positions, defying a ceasefire and wounding two Ukrainian soldiers, one of whom later died. In response to the attack, a Bayraktar TB2 drone has been scrambled. Reportedly, it destroyed an artillery piece without crossing the frontline.

 

According to Ukrainian news outlet Censor.net, a MAM-C semi-active laser guided bomb was used.

Ukraine acquired the first batch of Bayraktar TB2 drones in 2019, and has received several additional batches since then, including a number of drones specifically designed for the navy.

The first operational use of the new drones took place in July 2021, when a drone conducted a reconnaissance operation. 

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Ukraine flies its first Turkish-made armed drone over Donbas
The Ukrainian military completed its first reconnaissance flight using a Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drone over the Donbas region.
 

In recent years, Ukraine has made numerous attempts to modernize its air force with combat drones. As well as buying Turkish-made aircraft, Antonov announced the development of an indigenous design. The country has also been attempting to organize domestic production of Turkish drones. 

Since 2014, Ukraine has been involved in a long-standing conflict in the eastern part of the country, with parts of the Donbas region occupied by self-declared republics