- Ukrainian drones deliver food and supplies to frontline soldiers in eastern Ukraine
- Requests include water, food, cigarettes, newspapers, and small comforts like birthday cake
- Parcels are packed daily based on soldiers' lists and dropped usually by Vampire drones
Ukrainian drones, known to carry out precision strikes, are now being used to deliver food and snacks to soldiers on the frontline. The unmanned aircraft drop oatmeal cookies, water, coffee, mashed potatoes, smoked bacon, mayonnaise and even small comforts, such as cigarettes, to soldiers, reported The New York Times.
Soldiers on the frontline have even asked for items such as wet wipes, shawarma, and a chocolate hazelnut birthday cake.
Every morning, the commanders begin receiving simple lists of requests from soldiers stuck in their positions for days or weeks. Some are basic survival needs, like water and toilet paper. Others include food items, such as apples, crushed buckwheat, instant noodles, onions, sugar, condensed milk, and loose-leaf tea. Some troops even ask for newspapers and hand warmers.
Lesyk, a soldier who packs food and small gifts into parcels for soldiers in eastern Ukraine, says, "We try to make it a bit nicer for them, to lift their spirits, so they don't feel too down out there. Even small things matter." He tries to fulfil all the requests and sometimes even on the same day.
Zhurba, another soldier, says he goes shopping every day and collects items based on lists sent over the radio by troops. He revealed that he brings the items into a pantry and then the team carefully packs them so that they can be dropped by drones.
Lesyk explains that each delivery bag is made to order with the name of the soldier's position written on it. He revealed that he grabs loaves of bread, cans of Red Bull, and other items and puts them carefully into the bag.
Most of these deliveries are carried out by heavy Ukrainian-made Vampire drones. They are strong enough to fly in bad weather and are more difficult for enemies to shoot down than many other types of drones. Vampire drones were initially designed for combat, but can also carry packages of food.
Most drones on the battlefield create fear because they are usually carrying explosives. But the Vampire drones sound different to Ukrainian soldiers. Instead of feeling scared when they hear the buzzing noise, they feel happy and relieved. Lesyk explains that soldiers can recognise different drones just by their sound.
