Ukrainian drone operators face psychological toll in Zaporizhzhia

Ukrainian soldiers serving in the 82nd Air Assault Brigade are confronting severe mental exhaustion and operational risks during drone reconnaissance missions in the southern Zaporizhzhia region. Operating from abandoned residential homes near the front line, troops rely on heavy camouflage—including hiding satellite internet terminals inside garden flowerbeds—to evade Russian electronic detection and artillery strikes.

Personnel from the brigade's 1st Battalion describe continuous, round-the-clock shifts managing unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor hostile troop movements and direct targeted artillery fire. The relentless aerial surveillance by Russian forces has transformed the sector into a high-risk environment where minor electronic signals can prompt immediate strikes. Troops report that the combination of perpetual vigilance and remote combat takes a heavy psychological toll on front-line operators.

Sources: Die Presse