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Ukraine behind FPV goggles explosions in Russia, source claims

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Ukraine behind FPV goggles explosions in Russia, source claims
Photo for illustrative purpose. FPV drones are seen on the wall of a command room in the direction of Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on Dec. 21, 2024 (Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu via Getty Images)

A Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) operation was behind the detonations of goggles for first-person-view (FPV) drones used by Russian soldiers, a HUR source told the Kyiv Independent on Feb. 20.

The news comes after Russian pro-war Telegram channels reported a series of explosions of FPV goggles while they were being used by Russian drone operators.

According to the source, HUR bought a large batch of FPV goggles for the operation and rigged them with explosives and a detonation mechanism.

"Russian volunteers" subsequently donated the goggles to Russian drone units "in coordination" with the agency, according to the source.

"Today, the horrors of war are literally happening right before the eyes of Russian FPV pilots. This is a well-deserved punishment for the war crimes that the Russian occupiers commit against Ukraine every day," the HUR source said.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

Throughout Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine and Russia have heavily invested in drone technology, revolutionizing warfare.

Various aerial, naval, and ground drones have been developed and often successfully used for reconnaissance, combat, and other tasks by Ukrainian troops.

FPV drones are cheap to manufacture and can be precisely flown into targets, allowing their users to destroy much more expensive military equipment.

10 Ukrainian drone makers to watch
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Kateryna Denisova

Reporter

Kateryna Denisova is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent, covering Ukrainian domestic politics and social issues. She joined the newsroom in 2024 as a news editor following four years at the NV media outlet. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. She was also a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.

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