A video released by an occupying Russian soldier on a motorcycle shows the aftermath of fierce fighting along a stretch of road in eastern Donetsk. Dozens of armoured combat vehicles, military trucks and civilian cars lie in ruins. Ukrainian forces say that both Russian and Ukrainian vehicles have become easy targets for attack drones in the area locals have come to call the road of death.
The footage captures charred hulks and twisted metal, testament to the growing role of unmanned aerial systems on both sides of the conflict. Soldiers and local residents report that even supply convoys have been forced to reroute to avoid predictable drone ambushes.
Meanwhile, a separate video from Ukrainian captivity reveals the human toll of the Kremlin’s ambitions. A captured Russian soldier is allowed a brief call to his wife, who is clearly in grief and under the influence of alcohol. She speaks of the deaths of three close relatives, including her brother who fell in Ukraine, and pleads for her husband to stay safe. In the background, her dilapidated home and a broken stove underline the poverty and despair sweeping Russia’s countryside as the Russian dictator pours billions into his war.
In another drone‑powered strike beyond Ukraine’s borders, operators of the Ballista unit in Ukraine’s special operations forces destroyed a Russian Ka‑52 attack helicopter over the Kursk region. Footage released on the SOF’s Telegram channel shows a fast‑moving FPV drone laden with munitions crashing into the helicopter, triggering a fireball. Ukrainian general staff confirmed the loss of the helicopter and reported that its captain, Igor, was among the casualties.
