Russian Zala UAV operators hit near Svitlodarsk

3 November, 2023 Russian Zala 421-16E drone operators in the crosshairs of a Ukrainian drone near Svitlodarsk. Autumn 2023. Ukraine.

A frame from a StratCom video The Ukrainian military hit the operators of the Russian Zala 421-16E reconnaissance drone. The Special Operations Center "East" was involved in this combat operation.

A Ukrainian reconnaissance drone conducted surveillance of the Russian position and adjusted the fire. One hit on the position destroyed the Zala 421-16E drone, one operator was eliminated, and the second was injured. The invaders launched their drone near the occupied city of Svitlodarsk in the Donetsk region. The manufacturer claims that this Zala 421-16E drone has a maximum flight altitude of 5000 meters.

Russian ZALA 421-16E drone

It also has an operational range of more than 75 kilometers. With the help of this drone, the Russians examined Ukrainian positions and adjusted the fire of various weapons.

Destruction of UAV operators

In the spring of 2023, the Ukrainian military began to strike the operators of Russian reconnaissance drones actively.

Russian Zala-421 mobile drone launcher destroyed in the Zaporizhzhia region. September 2023, Ukraine.

Photo credits: External Pilot

In particular, Ukrainian HIMARS rocket launchers began to hit Russian mobile launch drones. Usually, the invaders try to hide mobile UAV launchers in a forest landing. In early October, in the Zaporizhzhia region, the Ukrainian military eliminated the Russian crew of Supercam S350 drones, which have a flight duration of 4.5 hours with information transmission up to 70-100 km.

The destroyed Supercam S350 drone and the car with its operators in Zaporizhzhia.

October 2023, Ukraine.

A frame from a StratCom video

Then the SHARK drone adjusted the fire and conducted reconnaissance, which was made by the Ukrainian company Ukrspecsystems.