Ukrainian forces carried out a unique operation, destroying a bridge with drones for the first time in history. It’s about the crossing over the Konka River (a tributary of the Dnipro), which was critically important for the occupiers’ logistics on the islands near Kherson.
Details of the operation, which took place earlier but were published only now, were reported by The Telegraph.
It is noted that a key moment of the operation was a mistake by a Russian soldier who posted a photo on Instagram in which he poses directly under the bridge supports. This photo allowed Ukrainian engineers from the ‘Zhurnalist’ unit (the 426th Marine Unmanned Systems Regiment) to study the vulnerable points of the structure.
Prior to this, the bridge had been targeted by aircraft and HIMARS rockets, but because of its construction it remained intact.
To carry out the mission, they used the British heavy drone Malloy T-150. The article says this device was developed as a “flying motorcycle” for farmers, and is used by the British Army to deliver cargo.
The Ukrainians converted it into a tool for mine-laying. Over 60 days the drone made 30 sorties. In total, 1.5 tons of explosives were delivered.
Each operation involved lowering, on a cable, a specially designed 50-kilogram charge precisely into the vulnerable points of the supports.
After the drones critically damaged the structure of the bridge, the final missile strike completely collapsed the crossing. Now the occupiers are forced to supply their forces on the islands by boats, which is much slower and makes them easy targets for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, writes The Telegraph.