Military releases video of Ukrainian drones striking 'Orion' drone base in occupied Crimea
Ukrainian drones struck a military base in occupied Crimea used for the storage and maintenance of Russian "Orion" drones, Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, the commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, reported on Nov. 13.
The attack, carried out early in the morning on Nov. 13 by the Unmanned Systems Forces, caused damage to the drone base located at the Kirovske airfield.
Brovdi did not provide details on the extent of the damage caused or whether any Orion drones were damaged in the strike.
Russia’s Orion drone, a massive unmanned aerial vehicle primarily used for monitoring the high seas, can carry up to 250 kilograms of explosives. The drone's design serves as an approximate equivalent to the U.S. Reaper drone, with production costs estimated at upwards of $5 million.
The Orion was set to be Russia’s flagship unmanned vehicle until that position was usurped by the Iranian-designed Shaheds
"This beast carries air-to-ground bombs and missiles, can stay airborne for up to 24 hours at altitudes up to 7,500 m," Brovdi said following the strikes, adding that the drone is considered "expensive and rare."
Kirovske airfield has served as a regular target of Ukrainian attacks given its geographic location. The airfield has also been regularly used to launch attacks against Ukrainian cities.
The attack came amid simultaneous strikes on the airfield with Ukraine's domestically produced Flamingo missiles, Ukraine’s General Staff reported on Nov. 13.
Ukraine routinely launches strikes against military and industrial facilities in Russia and Russian-occupied territories, primarily relying on domestically developed drones.
