Ukraine's "Baba Yaga" drones outsmart Russia's top defence
The war in Ukraine has highlighted Russia's weaknesses and exposed the quality of Russian equipment. A notable example is the attack by a commercial drone known as "Baba Yaga" on the Russian Tor air defence system, valued at tens of millions of pounds. We present the details of this confrontation.
The video below demonstrates how the "Baba Yaga" drone, in its night version equipped with a thermal imaging camera called "Vampire," bombed the Russian 9K331 Tor-M1 or possibly the 9K332 Tor-M2 air defence system. This incident is particularly humiliating for the Russians because one of the primary roles of this system is to target Ukrainian drones, and constructions like "Baba Yaga" are not even stealth drones.
Although the attack did not initially seem to cause substantial damage, it’s important to note that radar antennas are the most costly and difficult-to-repair components of the air defence system. On the other hand, they are also the most delicate parts, and damaging the radar antenna with fragments can render it completely non-functional or significantly reduce its effectiveness.
Furthermore, it appears that Ukrainians have once again succeeded in tackling Russian jammers, as drone operators can fly relatively unchallenged over Russian-occupied territory. It should be noted that Tor systems are typically positioned about 20 kilometres from the front lines and are intended to protect ammunition depots and supply routes, among other things.
"Vampire" - the night variant of "Baba Yaga" drones
Ukrainian "Baba Yaga" drones are a general term for commercially large drones adapted for military purposes. Favoured types include octocopters or agricultural drones capable of carrying more than 20 kilograms of payload. For instance, the DJI FlyCart 30 drone can carry up to 30 kilograms of payload.
This possibly includes a larger battery to extend range and, for example, additional antennas to utilise a lower frequency control signal. The rest is allocated for a dropping mechanism, such as 60 mm mortar shells, 40 mm grenades, or makeshift bombs crafted from objects like energy drink cans.
These types of drones can soar up to 3 kilometres, and recently, Ukrainians have been experimenting with equipping them with laser-guided missiles. Operating at night is strategic because, due to equipment shortages, Russian soldiers armed with shotguns are far less effective drone hunters at that time.
