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Cell phone video released to Telegram by Russian sources shows a group of Russian Soldiers using a 9K333 Verba MANPAD system to destroy a Ukrainian reconnaissance drone. The beeping sound you hear at the beginning of the video is the weapon system informing everyone that it has a lock on the target and is ready to fire.

While it may seem like a waste of valuable resources to utilize an entire MANPAD against a small reconnaissance drone, it's actually note. The information gathered by these small recon drones is invaluable to both Ukrainian and Russian forces. In this instance, the intelligence being gathered tells the Ukrainians the size and disposition of the enemy forces in the region, and that information can be used by Ukrainian commanders to make decisions on the ground.

For the Russians, that information falling into the hands of the Ukrainian troops could spell defeat for them in the short-term, as they may either be preparing a large attack themselves, or harboring mission critical equipment that the Ukrainians would like to target with their artillery. There's also the fact that these guys probably haven't had much of an opportunity to use these assets on enemy air systems as the Ukrainians have been doing a good job of safeguarding their limited air assets.

About the Author

Josh Brooks

Josh is an American writer and former USMC machine gunner with eight years of experience in ground combat arms throughout the GWOT. He is currently based in Texas and specializes in combat footage analysis and digital marketing.Follow Josh at OfficialJoshBrooks.com