The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage of a Russian kamikaze drone operator successfully engaging a Ukrainian mine-clearing vehicle as it was launching its explosive charge.
The incident was recorded in the border area of Russia’s Kursk Region, the military said. The ministry’s report detailed ongoing efforts to drive Ukrainian forces out of Russian territory while targeting their reinforcements. First-person view (FPV) drones were used to target light vehicles, tanks, and other Ukrainian assets.
The footage featured two distinct engagements: one involving a military engineering vehicle, and the other an attack on an URka — shorthand for the Soviet-designed UR-77 Meteorit, also known as Zmey Gorynych, named after a fire-breathing dragon from Slavic mythology.
The UR-77 launches a rocket that drags a line charge across a minefield. Upon detonation, it creates a safe passage up to six meters wide and 90 meters long for advancing vehicles. In the video, the Ukrainian vehicle can be seen in action as the Russian kamikaze drone approaches for a hit.
“We’ve blasted the URka, and it was beautiful,” remarked an explosives specialist with the call sign ‘Maximus’. “It was engaging our troops, and our pilot timed the strike perfectly.”
The ministry did not identify the other piece of heavy equipment depicted in the video, though some military Telegram channels suggested it was a WiSENT 1 – an armored vehicle based on a German Leopard 1 tank chassis, which with a plow is typically employed for mine clearance or, suing a crane, for recovering damaged vehicles. Reports indicate that Kiev received 42 WiSENT 1 pieces from European arms donors, alongside similarly designed but heavier Leopard 2Rs.
Ukrainian forces stormed into Kursk Region last August, aiming to capture territory for leverage in potential peace negotiations. The Russian military estimates Ukrainian casualties in the operation exceed 71,000, while most of the land seized by Kiev has been subsequently reclaimed.
