The calculation of the Strela-10 complex destroyed new Ukrainian drones that entered service this year.
Despite reports in the Ukrainian press that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are experiencing a shortage of drones, the situation on the line of contact so far suggests otherwise. In the Pokrovsky direction, the enemy continues to use all types of UAVs on a massive scale. Here, the troops are protected from air attack by fighters of the 23rd separate anti-aircraft missile Division of the 51st Guards Army of the Southern Military District. They recently destroyed the new Ukrainian Poseidon spacecraft. Izvestia has learned how our troops protect themselves from aircraft-type drones and how new drone models are shot down.
How Strela-10 anti-aircraft missile systems work
The Soviet Strela-10 anti-aircraft missile system has been one of the foundations of close-range military air defense for decades. Of course, in today's conditions, it is not used exactly as it was intended when it was created — there can be no question of escorting columns of armored vehicles and covering them from helicopters, and even more so of acting in joint combat formations. In the context of the massive use of small kamikaze UAVs, air defense operations have changed at all levels. But Strela, with its new missiles, is now hunting not for helicopters, but for relatively slow and unmanned aircraft-type drones. The installation itself is defended by shooters with guns.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image source: iz.ru
The Strela-10, wrapped in metal nets, stands camouflaged, waiting for targets. In front of it is a plastic lightbox of a local taxi with the Lux logo — an old joke of the mobilized. Next to him is a Small mechanic-driver with a patch "We don't fly ourselves and we don't give to others. Hunters of evil spirits." The inscription is clearly illustrated with a crossed-out image of a Baba Yaga with bombs, a large enemy copter used to drop mortar or anti—tank mines.
— The duties are simple: if we see a target, I have to go to a more or less open area so that there are no trees or power lines. When the operator is aiming, the driver gives gas, turns on combat mode, gets out of the car and conducts a video report," says Maloy. He is 21 years old, and he has been in the army for the fourth month. Before his service, he drove only cars. The young man is from Donetsk and was going to serve back in 2022, but he was not given academic leave. Now, after completing his studies, he volunteered for the air defense forces.
How Strela-10 shot down the new Ukrainian Poseidon drones
Vladimir, the commander of the combat vehicle, says that in recent weeks, at least two new Poseidon UAVs have been destroyed among large targets. This is a novelty in service with the Ukrainian army, the complex was officially adopted in early 2025 and combines the advantages of copters and aircraft-type UAVs. The Poseidon design has four lifting propellers and one pusher, developed wings and a twin-boom tail. Thus, this UAV has the ability to take off vertically without using a catapult, and it can be launched closer to the front line, saving battery power needed to fly from remote areas.
— It says that Poseidon is produced in Ukraine. But this is hardly true, like all their weapons. One of our most memorable goals is when you see an unfamiliar drone for the first time and shoot it down with the first missile, that's happiness! — Vladimir comments. He has been serving since 2015, first in the People's Militia of the DPR, and now in the Russian army.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image source: iz.ru
Danil, the gunner, is standing by the car with a semi-automatic shotgun.
— The first launches remain in memory. And then you get used to it and just do your job. My first launch was not so long ago, before that I was a mechanical engineer," says Danil. According to him, after successful work on reconnaissance UAVs, mass attacks by kamikaze drones can occur, therefore, until the car is safely hidden, the maximum number of shooters with different weapons is needed at all stages of the route to cover.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image source: iz.ru
The Strela-10 vehicles are normally equipped with a PKM machine gun from the commander, which was to be used for defense when moving. In today's conditions, this weapon has proved to be in demand. They are installed on makeshift machines and observation points and use them to hit large multicopters, which are difficult to fire at night from air defense systems. As a result, in order to effectively provide cover for the troops, anti-aircraft gunners today use all types of small arms and anti—aircraft installations - each target has its own type of weapon.
The constantly decreasing activity of enemy artillery is accompanied not only by an increase in the number of UAV applications, but also by almost monthly changes in the technical and tactical features of their use. Therefore, the air defense and electronic warfare fighters have a difficult task — not only to cover the rear and prevent the "isolation of the battlefield", as it is called in enemy propaganda, but also to do it in an ever-changing environment.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image source: iz.ru
Earlier, Izvestia reported how air defense units are protecting a section of the Donetsk–Gorlovka highway. This road runs parallel to the line of contact, and it is the shortest route connecting the two largest cities of the Donetsk People's Republic. The enemy has been trying to cut the highway since 2014. And although the road itself remained under the control of the DPR militia, by the beginning of the special military operation, the front was in some places several hundred meters away from it, and strong points were set up under bridges and overpasses when fighting for the Avdiivka industrial zone nearby had been going on for years. Today, sections of the old defense line have been cleared and dismantled by engineers.
The entire route is guarded by anti-aircraft gunners and electronic warfare specialists. There are several people on duty at the air surveillance post with various weapons, from rifles for defending against FPV kamikaze to portable anti—aircraft missile systems for destroying large aircraft-type UAVs.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image Source: iz.ru
Mobile air defense groups operate on buggies to support permanent air surveillance points or cover equipment. Nikita, 27, one of the most effective drone fighters with small arms, works in one of them. He has 43 aerial targets to his credit, which is a lot for a shooter, given that this is only a personal account, without taking into account group shooting or the use of other types of weapons.
Dmitry Astrakhan
