The Times reveals Ukrainian unit carrying out regular strikes inside Russia
Photo: Ukrainian Armed Forces (Getty Images)
The Kairos Unmanned Systems Battalion of the 414th Madyar's Birds Brigade is a highly secretive Ukrainian military unit tasked with carrying out long-range strikes against military targets deep inside Russia, according to The Times.
Strict rules and total secrecy
The unit operates under tight security protocols. Soldiers are banned from drinking alcohol and are not allowed to tell even close relatives where they are serving.
They also undergo regular polygraph tests to ensure compliance with strict secrecy requirements.
According to The Times, the battalion includes not only Ukrainians but also former special forces personnel from the UK, the US, other European countries, and Japan.
Targets far behind the front line
The unit's commander, known by the callsign Ray, said the battalion is considered one of Russia's priority targets. Its mission, he explained, is to make continuing the war too costly for the Kremlin.
He said the battalion's drones strike military targets regardless of how far they are from the front line.
A company commander with the callsign Panama said the unit had carried out several operations deep inside Russia over the past two weeks, including near Moscow and St. Petersburg.
According to Ray, in roughly 200 days since the battalion was formed, it has hit numerous targets, forcing the Russian military to decide where to deploy its air defense systems — to Moscow, occupied Crimea, or other strategic locations.
After one recent mission, five of the unit's eight drones reached their targets, Ray said. The following day, Russian sources reported an attack on a space communications center in Dubna, outside Moscow.
"This is revenge for our fallen comrades"
One of the brigade's officers said such operations carry deep personal meaning for many of the soldiers.
"This is revenge not only for the terror that has been inflicted on our families. It is revenge for our comrades, who were ordinary people with dreams but lost their lives. And it is revenge for the years this war has taken from us, our children, and our families," he said.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Armed Forces said Russian troops appear to be attempting an operational pause in the Kostiantynivka sector to regroup, reassess the battlefield, and prepare for further operations near the city.
