Ukraine just unveiled a powerful new strike drone

Ukraine has recently revealed a new weapon in its arsenal: a powerful strike drone that can hit targets deep inside enemy territory. The drone, called the Bayraktar TB2, is a Turkish-made unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can carry up to four laser-guided missiles. Ukraine bought 12 of these drones from Turkey in 2019, and has been using them to attack Russian forces in the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The Bayraktar TB2 has a range of 150 km, a flight time of 24 hours, and a maximum altitude of 8,000 meters. It can fly autonomously or be controlled remotely by an operator. It is equipped with a high-resolution camera, a thermal imaging system, and a radar. It can also transmit real-time video and data to the ground station.

The drone has proven to be very effective in striking Russian targets, especially in the Black Sea region. In May 2022, Ukraine claimed that it had sunk a Russian landing ship, the Tsezar Kunikov, with a drone strike near Snake Island. The strike was captured on video and released by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. In January 2024, Ukraine launched another drone attack on a Russian oil terminal in Ust-Luga, causing a massive fireball and disrupting the energy supply to the Russian army.

Ukraine’s use of drones has given it an edge over Russia, which has a much larger and more powerful conventional military. Ukraine has been able to inflict significant damage on Russia’s infrastructure, economy, and morale, without risking its own soldiers’ lives. Ukraine has also received support from NATO members, who have pledged to provide more drones and other military equipment to Ukraine.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has praised the drone coalition as a sign of solidarity and strength. He said that Ukraine is engaging in “smart warfare” to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also warned Russia that any further aggression would be met with a strong response from Ukraine and its allies.