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.
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
