The Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed a bridge with drones for the first time: 30 sorties, 1.5 tons of explosives
The operation by the 426th Marine Regiment using civilian Malloy T‑150 boats lasted two months and forced the Russians to switch to vulnerable boats between the Dnipro islands
Ukrainian units carried out an operation during which, for the first time in the history of urban warfare, a bridge was destroyed exclusively with drones; British logistics drones Malloy T-150 were used for the mission, The Telegraph reported: The Telegraph.
The executor was the 426th Marine Infantry Unmanned Systems Regiment, and preparation and execution lasted nearly 2 months. Previously, the same target had been unsuccessfully targeted by air strikes and barrages from HIMARS, since the structure proved too sturdy to be struck from above.
The turning point in planning came after a miscalculation by Russian forces: an image of one of their soldiers under the span of the bridge appeared on Instagram. Based on that frame, Ukrainian engineers identified the most vulnerable elements of the structure and developed a new demolition tactic.
Over 60 days the drones carried out about 30 sorties and delivered a total of up to 1.5 tons of explosives. Cumulative charges weighing approximately 50 kg each were lowered on cables directly to the piers, sequentially detonating critical points. After a series of detonations, a final strike completed the destruction of the bridge.
The elimination of the crossing significantly complicated the supply of Russian units on the Dnipro islands: they now must use boats to move, which are much easier to hit.
A key advantage of the operation was the adaptation of a civilian design: the Malloy T-150 was developed for logistics but is notable for low noise, a lack of a noticeable thermal signature, and resistance to electronic warfare. A lift capacity of up to 68 kg made it possible to use powerful charges for precision detonations of the piers.
Earlier we wrote:
- “Unwise from a military point of view,” – Kim explained why the liberation of Kinburn Spit is not timely
- The South in danger: Russia is assembling 300 boats to seize Kherson and Mykolaiv regions
- The enemy will not pass! Mykolaiv residents are joining the Marine Corps en masse
- Mykolaiv marines received five thermal imaging aerial reconnaissance kits from donors
