Exclusive: Inside Ukraine’s offensive in the East<br />Two Ukrainian soldiers control a drone in the darkness, preparing to strike a Russian target.<br />“We will be hitting their first line and our guys will be advancing on the enemy,” says one of the drone pilots.<br />Equipped with Western night-vision equipment, Ukrainian ground troops have the advantage in night-time operations.<br />But their ground attack aircraft are not suited for the dark, so the drone unit nicknamed “Code 9.2” steps up.<br />“The drones see in the night like in daylight,” explains one of the pilots.<br />Using Ukrainian-made ‘Vampire’ unmanned aerial vehicles, the drones drop bombs on Russian positions.<br />Videos recorded by the drones show them destroying Russian armored vehicles, including a modern T-90 tank.<br />Ukrainian drone pilots are able to see their targets through their controllers, even at night, with the help of night vision.<br />As the drone attack intensifies, other units join the battlefield.<br />Powerful artillery, US-donated cluster munitions, and mortar units rain down on Russian positions.<br />Infantry fighting vehicles race to the front to storm Russian lines.<br />Code 9.2 commander, call sign ‘Flint’, says this operation has been weeks in the making.<br />“It’s a combined assault,” he explains, designed to build up on recent gains in the area.<br />Ukraine aims to reach the Black Sea and cut off Russia’s supply route to Crimea.<br />While much attention has been on the South, Ukrainian forces have been retaking territory in the East.<br />“We are breaking through their line of defense here and we are hitting them well,” says one of the drone pilots.<br />The Russian mercenary group Wagner has returned to the area, compensating for personnel shortages.<br />“It’s a slow grind – a war of attrition,” says commander ‘Flint’.<br />With less advanced equipment, Ukrainian forces rely on tactics and strategy to outmaneuver the enemy.<br />#latestnews #news #cnn
