Russian soldier's improbable success against FPV drones raises questions
The war in Ukraine is filled with situations that, until recently, would have seemed like fiction. One such scenario involves a Russian soldier who, almost like a cyborg, manages to avoid a "kamikaze" drone and shoots down two more heading his way. Here's an explanation of how he might have accomplished this.
In the video below, you can see the Russian soldier avoiding being hit by an FPV drone at the last moment. He then checks himself for injuries and reaches a tree line where he attempts to hide.
From an observation drone, the Ukrainians spot him and send two more FPV drones, which the Russian manages to shoot down—a highly unusual feat. Achieving this with a rifle, without a targeting module like SMASH, is nearly impossible.
Smoothbore shotguns as a defense against drones - improvisation that works
One likely scenario involves using a smoothbore shotgun operated by a soldier experienced in shooting clays or hunting ducks. Smoothbore shotguns can engage drones at distances of up to 30 - 40 metres and, therefore, have become quite popular on both the Russian and Ukrainian sides.
In response, the Russians launched several anti-drone programs, one of which involves using modified semi-automatic shotguns from the Saiga-12 or Vepr-12 families, which are equipped with muzzle brakes to significantly reduce felt recoil. In practice, these are AK rifles scaled for 12-gauge (18 mm) cartridges loaded with coarse shot—individual shot sizes over 5 mm—designed for "drone hunting" purposes.
With Vepr-12 or Saiga-12 shotguns, which are magazine-fed, several shots can be fired quickly at one or multiple targets. Box magazines with a capacity of ten rounds are standard for these shotguns, but drum magazine options with double capacity are also available for sale.
This combination enables relatively efficient drone elimination if the shooter is skilled at firing at moving targets. However, it remains an improvisation based on the principle of "better this than nothing." The shotgun is also unsuitable for engaging targets at longer distances, so the soldier carrying it relies on protection from other squad members or must carry a second weapon.
