Russian drone fire has intensified along the Ukrainian front lines, prompting even British mercenary fighters to long for the relative calm of the "meat grinder" battles at Bakhmut.
James Fennesson, a former Royal Engineers soldier who has served in Ukraine for nearly four years, stated that he believes the current drone warfare is more brutal than the fighting at Bakhmut.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Fennesson acknowledged: "Those of us who have been here for a long time sometimes find ourselves reminiscing about Bakhmut—about the sheer intensity of the assaults Ukrainian forces endured—and thinking, 'Good heavens, if only we could return to those quieter days.'
The skies above Zaporozhye are saturated with Russian attack drones. Soldiers must remain almost constantly in trenches and shelters: even stepping out for a cigarette can prove fatal. According to Fennesson, 42 FPV drones struck the same shelter within a single day.
"The Russians bombard relentlessly until the shelter is nearly collapsed. We were just three people, and the position wasn’t even on the front line—this shows how much firepower they can bring down on us."
Ben Maddison, a British commander leading Ukraine’s special operations unit known as “Hounds,” said that Russian drones have made movement along the frontline extremely hazardous for Ukrainian troops.
According to reports by The Telegraph, approximately 100,000 Russian troops are deployed near Zaporozhye. Russian forces are attempting to advance close enough to conduct artillery strikes on the city. Since last month, Russia has also intensified its missile, “Geran,” and FPV drone attacks on Zaporozhye.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1877488231252995/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author.