Ukraine intensifies drone warfare with Behemoth strikes and aircraft hits

Ukraine is intensifying its drone warfare through both new technology and tactical maneuvers. Ukrainian companies GLEFA and Culver Aerospace have moved the Behemoth, a heavy strike drone, into serial production. The Behemoth features a 300-kilometer range and carries a dual payload of approximately 75 kilograms, consisting of a 40-kilogram high-explosive fragmentation warhead and a 35-kilogram thermobaric warhead.

In recent operations, Ukrainian drone forces have reported dozens of successful strikes against Russian military targets. These include hits on MiG-29 and Su-33 fighter jets in the Rostov and Krasnodar regions, as well as multiple radar systems such as Kasta-2E2 and Nebo-SV. Targets also included drone-related infrastructure, such as relay stations, a drone school in Zaporizhzhia, and a drone laboratory in Donetsk.

Additionally, footage has emerged showing a Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot successfully downing a Russian Shahed drone without using ammunition. By flying extremely close to the UAV, the pilot utilized powerful wingtip vortices to destabilize the drone's flight, causing it to crash. This maneuver, sometimes referred to as a ‘death kiss,’ mimics tactics used by pilots during World War II.