Aerial reconnaissance officers of the 425th Skala Separate Assault Regiment engaged in close combat with a Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group that infiltrated the rear to eliminate Ukrainian UAV operators.

The press service of the 425th Skala Separate Assault Regiment published the footage of the battle.

The group of Russian saboteurs wrapped themselves in yellow tape to disguise themselves as Ukrainian soldiers and infiltrated deeper into the positions in search of drone operators in the Pokrovsk sector.

The invaders entered the settlement and surrounded a partially destroyed building where the drone control point and operators of the 425th Regiment were located. This was immediately reported to the command, which alerted the adjacent units about the threat.

Nearby, several other UAV pilot groups were operating and decided to support their surrounded comrades. A 48-year-old soldier with the call sign “Ecologist,” along with two other operators, grabbed assault rifles and went into battle while the other groups provided drone support.

“By their accent, it was clear that they were a sabotage and reconnaissance group. Our guys were in the basement, and they were in the yard. I didn’t hesitate to go; if we hadn’t made it in time, the guys would have died,” Ecologist, a fighter from the 425th Skala Separate Assault Regiment, shared.

Ukrainian FPV drones began actively targeting the enemy saboteurs, forcing them to hide in one of the buildings. This allowed three Ukrainian fighters to approach the buildings and throw grenades at the enemy group.

After the saboteurs in the building fell silent, the Ukrainian soldiers managed to free two surrounded pilots from the basement and, under drone cover, safely evacuate them from the danger zone.

Russian military forces are actively using sabotage and reconnaissance groups for operations in the Ukrainian rear, aimed at undermining the capabilities of the Defense Forces. These are mostly groups that infiltrate through the northern border, but such attempts continue even in active combat areas.

In December last year, the Special Operations Forces neutralized one of these groups that was trying to infiltrate the Sumy region through the border settlement of Myropillia.

The enemy was detected in time by a reconnaissance drone accompanying them, and then drones with ammunition were directed at them.

The tactics of sabotage groups are also used by Ukrainian special forces, with their priority operational area in recent months being the Kursk operational zone. In early December, fighters from the 8th Separate Special Purpose Regiment lured a platoon of Russian marines in armored vehicles into an ambush by requesting reinforcements on behalf of captured invaders.

This same SOF group raided into the enemy’s rear and captured enemy positions, eliminating seven invaders and taking eight more prisoners in the Kursk region.