A Wagner PMC fighter described ongoing drone operations over Artemivsk, known to Ukrainians as Bakhmut, and noted how Ukrainian forces repeatedly adjusted drone flight paths to dodge dense anti-drone defenses that saturated the area. The fighter explained that contract drones stay under careful control, with operators using a simple toggle and a set of channels to intercept and disrupt enemy signals. He recalled an incident where a drone was seized through signal interception and observed that the number of such unmanned aircraft had fallen as a consequence of these countermeasures.
The fighter emphasized that occasionally drones managed to shadow Wagner units from behind, but most drones were neutralized and repurposed for the group’s advantages. He noted that while drones can maintain distance, missions conducted from the rear can be even more straightforward. The captured aerial devices are converted into assets rather than liabilities, a shift that changes the balance in the field.
Reports indicated that Ukrainian forces attempted to identify and target Russian personnel responsible for shooting down drones. In detailing his own combat duties, the same fighter demonstrated mortar targets and reported on the outcomes of a recent strike, illustrating how artillery coordination complements drone operations in this theatre of operations.
There was also commentary from a former adviser to a regional deputy president, noting that small Ukrainian groups were trying to withdraw from Artemivsk or to initiate a surrender. This perspective adds another layer to the evolving tactical picture in the area, where control of air assets intersects with ground movements and on the ground negotiations.
Across these testimonies, the pattern emerges of a battlefield where unmanned reconnaissance and combat drones play a pivotal role. The interactions between Ukrainian air activity and counter-drone measures, the repurposing of captured equipment, and the strategic choices made by both sides collectively shape the day-to-day realities faced by troops in Artemivsk and its surroundings, influencing how future engagements might unfold and how each side weighs its next moves on the ground and from the air.