August M
Losing a home city is a devastating blow that can leave deep emotional scars on a military unit for years.
Many soldiers spend their entire lives dreaming of a chance to return and reclaim what was taken from them during the darkest days of a conflict. Now, a famous military group is turning that dream into a highly coordinated campaign, reports HotNews.
Long-term mission
The Azov Regiment became a global symbol of resistance when it defended the port city of Mariupol in 2022. Following a brutal multi-month siege, hundreds of fighters were killed or taken captive. Today, everything has changed. The rebuilt unit is hitting back hard.
According to a report by HotNews, the group launched a wave of drone strikes on the city’s strategic port last week. The operation successfully knocked out electrical substations and hit repair facilities. It marks a bold new phase for the group.
Colonel Arsen Dmitrik, chief of staff of the 1st Azov Corps, told Reuters that this is a long-term fight. Even if the campaign spans decades, the soldiers are committed to the cause.
“Even if it takes 20 years, we will spend 20 years planning, waiting, preparing,” Dmitrik stated. He spent time in a Russian prison before being released. “But when the time comes, we have to be ready. I think we will recapture it. It’s just a matter of time,” he added.
Targeting the roads
The recent port strike is part of a much larger campaign to choke Russian military logistics. Operators are targeting fuel trucks moving across vast, open roads like the M14 highway. From the sky, these vehicles are completely exposed.
The strategy aims to slow down the offensive momentum that Russia can generate on the battlefield. Franz-Stefan Gady, an expert at the Center for a New American Security, told Reuters that the attacks are “cumulative rather than decisive.” The pressure forces the Russian military to take long detours.
Other commanders want to push even further to choke off reinforcements. Robert Brovdi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s drone forces, told Reuters he plans to “isolate Crimea in the near future” by hitting key transport corridors.
To pull off these long-distance missions, the unit relies on high-tech gear. Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, told Reuters that Azov uses an improved American drone called the Hornet. The group added Starlink internet terminals to extend its range.
Sources: HotNews, Reuters
