Christine Drews Sieger
Ukraine’s elite drone units operate in extreme secrecy to protect some of the country’s most sensitive military operations.
Behind some of Ukraine’s most extensive drone strikes against targets in Russia are units whose members live under conditions of extreme secrecy.
According to AFP, cited by Digi24, the soldiers conceal their identities, follow strict security protocols, and keep their work hidden from both their families and friends.
Drone units have assumed an increasingly important role in the war. As a result, they operate under extensive security measures, as Russia is believed to be actively trying to track them down.
One of the soldiers, Denys, says that even his parents do not know what his actual duties are: “You must not draw attention to yourself. You must not boast. You will never be able to talk about what you did, not even after the war,” he told AFP.
A life in the shadows
The soldiers avoid any public association with their unit and often use cover stories.
On social media, some deliberately create the impression that they are still serving in other branches of the military.
According to the soldier Voron, the secrecy is intended to protect both the units and their families.
He also says that his family and friends still believe he serves in the special forces, according to AFP.
Strict security rules
During operations, personal mobile phones must not be traceable, and all military communications take place through specially secured systems.
Devices with geolocation capabilities are prohibited. Cash is used to minimize digital footprints, and polygraph tests are administered when information leaks are suspected or when recruiting new members.
An intelligence officer with the call sign Wolf says the soldiers deliberately try to blend into the crowd.
“We maintain our discretion and pretend to be ordinary people,” he told AFP.
Why the drone units are so important
Long-range drones have become one of Ukraine’s most important weapons in the war. They make it possible to strike military installations, oil refineries, and other strategic targets deep inside Russia at a lower cost than traditional missiles.
The attacks have forced Russia to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure and reinforce its air defenses.
As a result, the units that plan and carry out these attacks are among the most sensitive within Ukraine’s armed forces.
If their identities or bases are exposed, Ukraine could lose a key capability to strike strategic targets deep inside Russian territory, according to AP News.
Sources: AFP, Digi24, AP News
