Thanks for that description of Yurii Fedorenko and the Achilles Battalion. Amazing story. Felt like a no BS description of the realities of FPV warfare.
I used about four sources but the main one with the descriptions of combat was from the New York Times. I agree with many who say they often don't understand the strategic issues. But their stories based on time spent with soldiers on the ground are detailed and useful.
Lord, why can't the UA High Command look at units like this one and ask "Hm, what are they doing that makes them so effective and how can WE do that?" You and Tom are not sounding like a broken record, you are sounding like a couple of guys who are seeing a major issue that is being ignored and talking it up. Keep talking.
These units are effective because of the drones. There are little lessons to learn from them.
They spend several drones to kill a soldier. Something like mortar/ artillery teams will do with their shells.
They don't get into death duels like infantry or tanks or even artillery.
They don't have a large logistical consumption to become visible and attract airstrikes.
The drone units in Ukraine are growing în number and numbers yet they can not stem the Russians. The Ukrainian infantry is în free fall decline as per quantity and quality while the drone units are rising and the Russians are advancing. Reforming the infantry is critical for Ukraine and it requires both tactical retreats and redistributing smart guys to infantry platoons.
Yes, but the theory behind why they are effective works everywhere. Discipline, training, proper leadership who cares and makes sure what needs to be done gets done.
The space for mistakes is very large for drone units. So you can train, organize and inovate.
There is no equivalent at artillery level or logistical units level. If such a unit makes a mistake there is an imediate response with many people killed.
You can train, organize and innovate in every unit.
At the beginning of 2022, the Ukrainian infantry militias that were thrown into combat without training had extremely high casualty rates. Units that entered combat after training had lower rates. Units that survive in combat gain more experience and learn what is more likely to get them killed and what is more likely to help them survive.
The best infantry units, such as the 92nd, 3rd Assault, etc., organize their units systematically. They train, hold each other accountable, trust individual initiative and never stop learning. When something goes well, they identify why and make sure they keep doing it. When something goes wrong, they identify why and figure out how to fix it. When things change, they adapt. They lose less people, gain more experience and develop a culture of trust, professionalism and pride. They're simply more effective.
This is true of any unit, in any branch, no matter how close to the front line you are. It doesn't matter if you are infantry, armor, artillery, logistics, communications or medical branch. Drone units that are ineffective die at a higher rate than effective drone units.
It's the same with any organization in any environment.
The effective units have many of the same qualities. Many of these qualities they developed independently of each other. The 414th (Magyar) is tasked by the ZSU to train other drone teams to share their secrets of success. That should be an army-wide objective with all branches.
The standardization of success should be a primary objective of the Ukrainian general staff but it is one of their many failings.
Taiwan is apparently innocent. Claims this: Chinese companies that supply servo drives for UMPK planning modules and Shahed drones to the Russian Federation illegally use the name of the Taiwanese company TRC to avoid sanctions https://x.com/front_ukrainian/status/1876312354792907254
Thanks for that description of Yurii Fedorenko and the Achilles Battalion. Amazing story. Felt like a no BS description of the realities of FPV warfare.
I used about four sources but the main one with the descriptions of combat was from the New York Times. I agree with many who say they often don't understand the strategic issues. But their stories based on time spent with soldiers on the ground are detailed and useful.
Very interesting detail on the drone unit and combat, excellent work as always 👍
Lord, why can't the UA High Command look at units like this one and ask "Hm, what are they doing that makes them so effective and how can WE do that?" You and Tom are not sounding like a broken record, you are sounding like a couple of guys who are seeing a major issue that is being ignored and talking it up. Keep talking.
These units are effective because of the drones. There are little lessons to learn from them.
They spend several drones to kill a soldier. Something like mortar/ artillery teams will do with their shells.
They don't get into death duels like infantry or tanks or even artillery.
They don't have a large logistical consumption to become visible and attract airstrikes.
The drone units in Ukraine are growing în number and numbers yet they can not stem the Russians. The Ukrainian infantry is în free fall decline as per quantity and quality while the drone units are rising and the Russians are advancing. Reforming the infantry is critical for Ukraine and it requires both tactical retreats and redistributing smart guys to infantry platoons.
Yes, but the theory behind why they are effective works everywhere. Discipline, training, proper leadership who cares and makes sure what needs to be done gets done.
The space for mistakes is very large for drone units. So you can train, organize and inovate.
There is no equivalent at artillery level or logistical units level. If such a unit makes a mistake there is an imediate response with many people killed.
You can train, organize and innovate in every unit.
At the beginning of 2022, the Ukrainian infantry militias that were thrown into combat without training had extremely high casualty rates. Units that entered combat after training had lower rates. Units that survive in combat gain more experience and learn what is more likely to get them killed and what is more likely to help them survive.
The best infantry units, such as the 92nd, 3rd Assault, etc., organize their units systematically. They train, hold each other accountable, trust individual initiative and never stop learning. When something goes well, they identify why and make sure they keep doing it. When something goes wrong, they identify why and figure out how to fix it. When things change, they adapt. They lose less people, gain more experience and develop a culture of trust, professionalism and pride. They're simply more effective.
This is true of any unit, in any branch, no matter how close to the front line you are. It doesn't matter if you are infantry, armor, artillery, logistics, communications or medical branch. Drone units that are ineffective die at a higher rate than effective drone units.
It's the same with any organization in any environment.
The effective units have many of the same qualities. Many of these qualities they developed independently of each other. The 414th (Magyar) is tasked by the ZSU to train other drone teams to share their secrets of success. That should be an army-wide objective with all branches.
The standardization of success should be a primary objective of the Ukrainian general staff but it is one of their many failings.
Fear for their own position as their knowledge their rank is based on is becoming outdated and such people will move through the ranks.
Thank you very much.
Taiwan is apparently innocent. Claims this: Chinese companies that supply servo drives for UMPK planning modules and Shahed drones to the Russian Federation illegally use the name of the Taiwanese company TRC to avoid sanctions https://x.com/front_ukrainian/status/1876312354792907254
https://www.facebook.com/share/18YuNSoLxC/ herein is update from Vadim Labas
An excellent and enlightening post, thanks.