The international delegation, headed by Ana Lucía Bueno, ICRC Public Health Coordinator, and Sujit Panda, Head of the Physical Rehabilitation…
In the Sapsan unmanned systems battalion, he is one of the most effective drone operators.
His story was published on the page of the 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Prince Roman the Great.
“Laughing at Russian infantry in ‘penguin suits’? You haven’t yet seen the ‘performances’ they put on in the Kupyansk area! The distant sound of a drone awakens hidden acting talents in the occupiers: some pretend to be a tree, others immediately ‘play dead’. You could watch this endlessly, but time doesn’t wait — we destroy the target and move on”, — Yurii says.
According to the drone operator, the secret is simple: during assaults they first stop the equipment, then “take apart” the infantry, and afterwards finish burning the vehicles. Between these tasks they search for pilot antennas, ammunition depots, fuel and lubricants, and enemy positions.
The fighter recalls a comical episode: during a morning flight he noticed a group of Russians desperately trying to start a generator. A precise drone strike put an end to their futile efforts.
What surprised Yurii most was that in the evening, a new group of “tourists” with a new generator appeared at the same spot. Their result was identical.
Even in bad weather, the work doesn’t stop: Yurii and his comrade evacuate damaged equipment and collect trophies. Together they towed away a motorcycle, a quad bike, and even an enemy NLA.
And during moments of rest — coffee and conversations about what matters most.
For Yurii, that is his wife and 9-month-old son Matvii, who are waiting at home.
The fighter knows: one day he will definitely tell his son these stories, and then together they will write a new one — in their own home in their native Volyn.
