Ukraine Eliminated Russia's Best Drone Operator, Top Pilot in One Week

Russia lost one of its top drone operators and one of its premier pilots in the space of a few days, according to new reports.

The pilot of the ill-fated Ilyushin Il-22M airborne command post that Ukraine said it had shot down over the Sea of Azov earlier this month was killed in the incident. This is according to independent Russian outlet Astra, citing a social-media statement from a Russian test pilot. Newsweek has yet to verify this independently and has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for comment via email.

On January 15, Ukraine's top soldier, General Valery Zaluzhny, said Kyiv's forces had destroyed a Russian A-50 spy plane and an Il-22 air control plane over the Sea of Azov, far behind the front lines in Russian-controlled territory.

Kyiv posted an image showing the two aircraft in the style it typically announces Russian losses, saying the planes came down in the evening local time on January 14. Colonel Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraine's air force, then shared an image appearing to show the Il-22 with visible damage to its tail.

The reported death of the pilot is another blow to Moscow's air force, which Western analysts say is struggling to maintain high levels of training and rigorous safety procedures.

The reports come as several Russian military Telegram channels suggest one of Russia's most well-known drone pilots has been killed in southern Ukraine.

Known as "Moses," the Russian uncrewed vehicle operator died around the village of Krynky, in Ukraine's Kherson region, on January 19, several Russian military bloggers reported, citing the drone pilot's wife.

Known by his call sign, Moses operated first-person-view kamikaze drones and is credited with sinking 31 Ukrainian boats and killing nearly 400 Ukrainian soldiers close to the village of Krynky, according to American business magazine Forbes.

Ukraine has been steadily attempting to whittle away at Russian control on the east bank of the Dnieper River in the south of the country, gaining footholds in settlements like Krynky. The river has broadly marked the front lines in the Kherson region throughout 2023 and into 2024, after Kyiv's first counteroffensive forced Russia to retreat to the left bank.

Since October 2023, Ukraine has launched regular raiding missions across the river into Russian-held territory, establishing a bridgehead in Krynky.

Russia's troops have been unable to push Ukraine from territory under Kyiv's control on the east bank of the Dnieper River, the British Defense Ministry said on Saturday. This is despite Moscow's significant advantage on the left bank of the river, the U.K. government said.

"It is highly likely that the poor training and coordination of Russian forces in the area is limiting their offensive capabilities," the U.K. government added.

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