New Russian Machine Gun Ground Drone Destroyed By Ukrainian Aerial Drone

The heavy machine gun-armed Russian ground drone was detected advancing in the Toretsk sector, which has been the scene of hotly contested fighting in the past few weeks.

It is interesting that the Russians tested the UGV here, reinforcing their need for alternatives to human soldiers as the cataclysmic casualty rates of the past year have made it harder to recruit and replace the fallen. That Ukrainian aerial drones identified and took out the Russian machine also suggests that the Ukrainians maintain significant advantages in the drone war. JL

Sofiia Syngaivska reports in Defense Express:

Ukraine's Phoenix drone unit in the Toretsk sector destroyed a Russian unmanned ground vehicle armed with the NSV Utyos 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. The system, intended to test new assault concepts or perform remote fire support, attempted to approach Ukrainian defensive lines. Such platforms are part of Russia's experimentation with robotic systems meant to reduce infantry exposure and probe fortified areas. The Ukrainian operators detected it early, tracked its movement pattern, and destroyed it before it could close the distance or inflict damage. Destruction of the system underscores how difficult it is for Russia to introduce new technologies on a battlefield where Ukrainian drones dominate.

Ukraine's Phoenix drone unit continues to maintain firm fire control over the Toretsk sector, a frontline area where russian forces persist in attempts to advance toward Kostyantynivka. According to the unit's latest report, the operators are systematically disrupting these efforts, targeting enemy infantry and vehicles before they can consolidate movement or gain momentum.

The Toretsk direction has become one of the most contested zones, with russian assault groups seeking tactical openings through rapid movement on motorcycles, cars, or armored vehicles. However, every such attempt remains under constant surveillance and within the strike envelope of Ukraine's FPV drone units. This persistent aerial overwatch has sharply reduced russia's ability to maneuver or reinforce along this axis.

The crews emphasize that their approach is not reactive but preventive. By holding the entire local battlefield under sustained fire control, the unit eliminates threats before they can reach Ukrainian positions. Enemy transport columns, reconnaissance groups, and small assault elements are routinely intercepted and destroyed as soon as they appear in drone-monitored corridors.

 

Among the most notable targets in recent days was russian unmanned ground vehicle armed with the NSV Utyos 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. The system, likely intended to test new assault concepts or perform remote fire support, attempted to approach Ukrainian defensive lines. Such platforms are part of russia's ongoing experimentation with robotic systems meant to reduce infantry exposure and probe fortified areas.

According to border guards, the UGV never posed a real threat. The operators detected it early, tracked its movement pattern, and destroyed it before it could close the distance or inflict any damage. The neutralization of the system underscores once again how difficult it is for russia to introduce new technologies on a battlefield where Ukrainian drone reconnaissance dominates.

The USSR largest accidents that did not receive publicity!

As Defense Express previously reported, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence have carried out another high-precision operation deep inside Crimea, further degrading russia's air defense and aviation capabilities on the peninsula.

Operators of the Prymary elite special unit struck two critical russian assets overnight on December 4, 2025: the MiG-29 multirole fighter at the Kacha military airfield and the Irtysh airfield radar system near Simferopol.