Modern technological developments have brought a new aspect to the war in eastern Ukraine. The use of what we first called drones and now call unmanned aerial vehicles is widespread, with both sides using them for scouting, adjusting fire and dropping the odd grenade on military positions. 2020, however, has seen a more sinister development. Russia-led forces are deliberately using them to target civilian cars and even ambulances.
April 7th, they attacked the below civilian car near the village of Krasnohorivka, close to the occupied city of Donetsk. A UAV dropped a grenade and missing the car by metres, shrapnel from it shattered the window of the vehicle. The passengers in the car were journalists and were presumably in the area to report on recent shelling in the region by Russia-led forces. Thankfully on this occasion, no one was injured. Military report.
Shrapnel which hit the cars window.
Location of Krasnohorivka.
March 9th: Using a UAV, Russia-led forces targeted an ambulance near the Ukrainian government-held the city of Mariupol. Two grenades struck the vehicle which as clearly identifiable as an ambulance with numerous red cross symbols on the roof and sides. Explosions punctured the metal roofing. My blog post in this incident.
