Ukrainian fisherman hits pursuing Russian drone with fish

A Ukrainian fisherman halted a pursuing Russian drone by hitting it with a fish, nearly knocking it out of the sky.

The war in Ukraine has seen a revolution in drone warfare, with Russian and Ukrainian forces using thousands of drones in an attempt to get an edge on the battlefield. Both forces have also used creative ways of downing enemy drones, using everything from advanced electronic warfare to shotguns and World War II-era propeller planes.

A recent exchange saw a historical moment as Ukrainians used a unique weapon in an attempt to take down a Russian drone: a fish.

Footage published by the Ukrainian Karymat Telegram channel, taken by a Russian drone operator, showed a Russian surveillance quadcopter drone shadowing a Ukrainian fishing boat in Kherson Oblast. After getting too close, one of the two fishermen hurled his catch at the drone, sending it spiraling.

The drone quickly regained control, however, and was able to stabilize itself.

Drones have revolutionized the war in Ukraine in a number of ways, with one of the most important being the virtual end of stealthy deployment. Surveillance drones from both sides cover nearly every inch of the battlefield, complicating maneuvering as each side knows the others’ movements.

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The ability to cover most of the battlefield played a key role in the failure of Ukraine’s highly anticipated 2023 offensive in Zaporizhzhia. Russian surveillance drones were able to pinpoint artillery and missile fire on assembling Ukrainian troops. Ukraine was forced to disperse its forces, preventing it from achieving a decisive breakthrough anywhere along the line.

Russia has regained the tactical advantage all across the front since the summer of 2023, but its advance has slowed in recent months. Ukraine’s drone arsenal has been credited with helping to stave off mass Russian breakthroughs despite a firepower deficit.