Darwin’s War | Inside the secret bunker of Ukraine’s ace FPV drone pilot

In Real Life journeys into the world of one of Ukraine’s most accomplished FPV drone pilots - a 20-year-old former medical student (he goes by the callsign ‘Darwin’) who personifies the evolutionary leap in drone warfare.
Scripps News’ international correspondent, Jason Bellini, received extraordinary access to the secret bunker of the ‘Achilles’ Strike UAV Battalion, which is part of Ukraine’s 92nd Assault Brigade.
What do you think of Darwin and his team? Can units like theirs change the course of the war?
More here: www.scrippsnews.com/documenta...
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[@scrippsnews]

#ScrippsNews has won a Deadline Club Award and a New York Press Club Award for investigating the plight of Ukrainian orphans abducted and sent to Russia. Watch the compelling story here :www.scrippsnews.com/world/europe/scripps-news-investigates-a-race-to-rescue-ukraine-s-abducted-orphans

[@factsarefactsanddonotlie8397]

I like how you showed a civilian vehicle getting blown up at 4:48 how do you know that was not a war crime and why did you add post effects to it?

[@zackatwood2867]

there is no honor here

[@cjnoneya4927]

saved from being sent to some emirate is what the Russians did

[@jenkinsrower7380]

​@@factsarefactsanddonotlie8397 no it's not a civilian vehicule vladimir, now shut up

[@quaaludecowboy692]

War is a racket.

[@KentuckyMethodOfCoalExtraction]

Imagine getting killed by some 20 year old smoking a vape in a dark basement for miles away.

[@touofthehighplains]

Vaping is cringe. Just smoke real cigarettes.

[@bombofbombe]

I get this every time I get on Halo. Last thing I need is for it to happen in real life.

[@Darwinist]

@@touofthehighplains Yeah because cancer is manly.

[@Hyouka-Hates-Handles]

@Shinshocks555 ew

[@burnttoaster6313]

These drone pilots don’t get taken prisoner when caught. They usually get killed.

[@Xenu321]

"It is not the strongest who survive, but the most adaptable" Finally someone gets what darwin was talking about

[@pierrew1532]

Well Darwin's law actually isn't even that. It is not the most adaptable individual who survives, because you're DNA and your environnement lead to only one phenotype for one individual. It is a one shot thing. The multiple attempts at "finding the right solution" (= adapting) happen at species level, not at individual level. The individuals who survive are not the most adaptable, they are those who's phenotype matches the enivronement the best so that the combination of env+genome maximises their reproductive efficiency (for this geneome to be spread as much as possible), with reproductive efficiency roughly seen as a combination of actual fecondity (from attractiveness to partners to reproductive cell efficiency during mating) and survivability from birth to the moment when reproductive opporunities will appear. Which can involve self qualities, as much as parents behaviors, social structures, etc etc. Anything that will maximse a young individual to grown and finally procreate. In Darwin's law it is quite not the individuals who adapt. rather it is mainly the species who adapts, mainly by generating a lot of individuals and exposing them to "environmental testing", filtering those who survive to reproduce, a.k.a the most suited for this precise given environement.

[@Xenu321]

@@pierrew1532 Yes, but that would have been a little long for a final statement

[@pauljones9150]

Yesssssss 🎉🎉🎉

[@davidchalmers6753]

Strength doesn't just describe physical strength. If you pass your genes off successfully, that is a strength. You just have a limited literary understanding.

[@SweetJesus83]

​@@pierrew1532in this analogy the species could be the AFU, not the soldier

[@saltyones]

Now this is the most realistic form of cyberpunk I've ever seen

[@user-vu3pe7ui6g]

Imagine dying by zoomer's hand. I can't imagine worse fate...

[@nericohen-muaythai8875]

​@@user-vu3pe7ui6g OK boomer

[@mikemcc1156]

rigger 1.0

[@Mikesusendsadasdc]

It's hard watching this cause I know for a fact most those Russians would rather not be in this war and are being forced to fight.

[@MrXdawg]

@@Mikesusendsadasdc Yeah I hate that this "cool cyberpunk kid" is being glorified and used for propaganda. We just watched a son, maybe a father get obliterated by a drone scared for his life in a field. I don't care what side he's on. awful stuff

[@joshuaarandt2448]

Out of all the great dystopian books, I never thought Enders Game would be this horrifyingly accurate,

[@elforeigner3260]

And they kept telling me playing video games is useless

[@terjeoseberg990]

LOL

[@vincegedeon6583]

😆

[@rather_be_a_cat]

They use Xbox controllers to pilot drones because they knew it's something they already have muscle memory using.

[@kmieciu4ever]

​@@rather_be_a_catDarwin was using a Radiomaster TX-16 transmitter, it's infinitely more precise than an Xbox controller.

[@rather_be_a_cat]

@@kmieciu4ever I mean the military drones in the US.

[@mattd6200]

Can you imagine the terror of being outside during the day knowing there are drones everywhere?

[@oooooooooo3449]

Artillery is the big killer though. Drones kills nothing compared to artillery.

[@anewkindofpolitician5728]

They are there at night too! All the time, the horror never stops…!

[@Vsor]

@@oooooooooo3449 Idk about infantry, but I know drones make up more than 60% of tank kills per month in ukraine atm.

[@Davidman3976]

@@oooooooooo3449 Artillery kills, but mainly makes the enemy retreat. Drone pilots are individually the biggest killers in this war. At least on the ukranian side. They are using thousands every single day. There are several hundred pilots like this guy, and there are hundreds of new videos of drone attacks every day.

[@TheRealWinser]

​@@oooooooooo3449how do you think they scout for fires? They use drones because sending FOs would be a suicide mission.

[@nwoodworth51]

Y’all may not like this but this is what peak performance looks like nowadays

[@bjrnk6389]

I think you and I have a very diffrent concept of peak performance. He is a coward hiding in the dark with a joystick nothing to be proud of, not a war hero and will never be not even amoung hes owns comrades belive me those clowns are hated on both side and when captured and they often are, they are tortured to death, they know what areas those drones are comming from just like detecting motar fire. Rember the russians have Intel drones like the RQ-4 war hawk and the A10 warthog survalince combat drones sitting 40.000 feet above and beyond detecting even a Mouse in the high grass

[@NiSiochainGanSaoirse]

The vanguard of the modern soldier.

[@westcan81]

NO, this is what COWARDS look like!

[@austinjavins8362]

Paintball bro spotted

[@nwoodworth51]

@@austinjavins8362 used to be not much anymore

[@Juliejoujou]

I also make drones at home and send them to the frontline. As of now, I have made 10. When I heard that Darwin used 40 per day, it was mind-blowing! 😲

[@jeffclark2675]

Wow this is fascinating! I have so many questions for you. Do guy honestly think Ukraine can be victorious over Russia? Why?

[@geomagstabilizers7807]

​@@jeffclark2675 chances dont matter, if you feel you may die or be enslaved, you fight.

[@ChrisosIDK]

Hi Julie, what does making drones entail?

[@rickybobby2789]

More info please 🙏

[@MrNick-og4qm]

@@geomagstabilizers7807yeah because Russia wants to enslave the citizens of Ukraine? I’ve never heard that one, especially since Putin said repeatedly he didn’t want to invade, but because UKRAINE kept violating the Minsk agreements, (even the prime minister of Germany said “the Minsk agreements were pretty much just to buy time for Ukraine to arm up,”) so they had no interest in peace negotiations. Putin has sued for peace talks repeatedly, except America and Britain told Ukraine not to talk to Russia, so who is the war-hungry population? And Ukraine is kidnapping citizens off the street and forcing them to the front line, yet Russia has 8 times the population, but you think Ukraine is going to be a problem? Russia is trying NOT to wipe Ukraine off the map, if they wanted to run through the country they could’ve a year ago.

[@plurplursen7172]

Stop asking an active soldier, in the field, about PTSD. It's wrong somehow. Debrief now, therapy later. Every soldier know this.

[@duke7803]

I've actually seen an interesting video by Lindybeige about PTSD in historical warriors and later soldiers and in it he claimed that societies in which grieving together and processing emotions together isn't seen as unmanly there was a way lower rate of psychological battle scarring. Which makes sense considering modern research on processing traumatic events.

[@joostdriesens3984]

I don't agree. He is a journalist, so he is expected to ask questions that viewers have. I think that is a difficult part of being a journalist, you sometimes have to ask dumb, challenging or inappropriate questions and let the person being interviewed handle it. Same with asking about technical details of the weapons, the interviewer is expected to ask a little bit about the capabilities of the weapons even though of course he doensn't want to reveal secrets. It's then the soldiers job to say 'classified'. Of course there is a balance on how to handle these questions and how many times you can ask the soldier do you see the faces of your dead enemies at night? It does feel inappropriate and cringe.

[@SHGPMEDIAMILITARYANDMILSIM]

Completely agree with you on this. It really started to grate and isn't helpful to those out in the field. His mind needs to be on his job, not thinking about these sort of questions

[@johnjohnson7259]

@@joostdriesens3984just because dumb civis want to know “does he have ptsd” “do you see the faces” and all the other obvious shocking questions, doesn’t mean the journalist has to be as brain dead. But most will be for views.

[@ach_ja]

Allegedly, the US WW2 veterans had fewer problems with PTSD than the Vietnam veterans because they were able to talk about their experiences on the days long ship journey and received a friendly welcome home. Vietnam veterans, on the other hand, had greater problems because they came back by plane in hours, couldn't talk to their fellow soldiers and were often given an unfriendly welcome.

[@ecolone]

The vape. The energy drinks. The earrings and the clean af cut. You may not like it, but Darwin is a true modern day warfighter.

[@wintertimeblues]

This is propaganda, glad you see through it.

[@thomaslane344]

@@wintertimeblues😂 says the pro Russian you’re a joke 🎉

[@dedecekshoubami3752]

@@thomaslane344 you dont need to be on any side to see it as propaganda

[@wintertimeblues]

@@thomaslane344 so being anti war means being Russian? Wow I think you need to find a dictionary or take a class so you stop confusing everything that goes wrong with Russians. Gremlins are not Russians. Bad luck, is not the Russians. The lady who cut you off in traffic is not a Putin puppet. Sometimes people disagree with you, that does not mean they are government actors. But hey I guess my currency should be devalued, the us should invade from the other side, and we should just start WWIII! Isn't that what you really want?

[@kippz1337]

@@dedecekshoubami3752 what wrong image is being pictured here exactly? This seems like a pretty accurate frontline report regarding the duties of a FPV pilot.

[@RedDogForge]

we are INCHES away from the "slaughterbots" scenario that was laid out here on youtube in 2017. and thats absolutely terrifying.

[@Stinger32]

uhmm

[@gregwest77]

That is a real possibility. I've seen the slaughterbots video 🙂

[@RedDogForge]

@@Stinger32 go check it out if you're not familiar with what im referring to. its a possible scenario laid out by a fella that was worried about the tech heading in this direction before it had done so.

[@morgansadler5702]

We are there we just don’t know

[@TRAVIESO_NA]

Everything the defense industry is currently selling and developing is all automated to a degree if not 100% then it has automation in some other way. Guns with ai, dog robots with bombs, boats that drive themselves, drones with bombs that are ai driven that can bomb another drone.

[@rossicourvosi218]

Imagine how many bodies this man is going to have when the war ends, some drone pilots will have hundreds (if not thousands) of kills, that's crazy

[@petermorse5442]

If the Russians don't like it they can always just go home.

[@z0h33y]

@@churblefurbles But what do they fight for? The Russians in Ukraine arent fighting for their homeland - Russia was never invaded by Ukraine.

[@dustywoood]

@@z0h33y Man, I'm debating wherever or not to get into a back and fourth with you based on wherever or not you're reasonable or unreasonable but your knowledge of Ukrainian & Russian people is very alarming. This war isn't black and white as Western Media outlets cover it, the Russians & Ukrainian's often share family in these regions / the towns in Ukraine are filled with Russian families of generations / there are many post Soviet families established after liberating Ukraine post Second World War. The history of the Russians & Ukrainian's goes back thousands of years, it is a complicated history. Additionally, Ukrainian land has been used to invade Russia multiple times throughout the last few hundred years, by foreign powers. This is undisputed historical knowledge, so it is no surprise that Russia reacted with Ukrainian's attempts to join NATO through dating back to the cancellation of the Minsk Agreements.

[@z0h33y]

@@dustywoood It is black and white. The Russians are invading another country. It does not matter whatever Putin history lesson 5,000 years ago. "There are many post Soviet families establisted after liberating Ukraine post WW2", yes and theres also many Ukrainian families who were destroyed by Soviet Russia during Holodomor. In fact, if you look at the history of massacres done by the Soviets in Ukraine, the Soviets were not friendly towards Ukraine (look up Vinnytsia Massacre). So this idea that Ukraine and Russia are friendly and have a nice relationship in the past, is wrong. And this whole idea of, "well hundreds of years ago that Ukrainian land was used to invade Russia by foreign powers", does not matter. Ukraine was never planning to invade Russia. Ukraine invading Russia would be like if Canada tried to invade the USA, its not going to happen. Next you will tell me that Poland was also liberated by Russia in the past.

[@MonkPetite]

@@churblefurblesyour not well I formed. Apparently you do t no how Russians think.

[@Whatsupwiththisname]

@dustywoood Actually it’s black and white. You seems to be heavily brainwashed by Russian propaganda. If NATO would attack Russia from Ukraine-why they are not attacking Russia when war already started? Why NATO is not sending their best weapons? You logic is false and can’t stand any argument-like every Russian propaganda.

[@samchallis448]

I’m glad the interviewee corrected the interviewer on Darwinian theory: it’s not ‘survival of the fittest’ but survival for the best fit - I.e. the most adaptable.

[@karolean8342]

That's kinda the same no? I'm not a native English speaker, but to me "fittest" means "that fit the best".

[@andrewboddy2791]

@@karolean8342 Us native speakers often mis-quote , often saying 'strongest'; this correction made here emphasises 'the most suitable'

[@nhatho1723]

@@andrewboddy2791modern English also bastardized the definition of fit to be athletic. Whereas the definition of fit so simply the best fit. Darwin is not going to use fit to describe a bird with a pointier beak lol. It’s just best fit for the situation.

[@gas_packk5443]

@@nhatho1723wait til you learn words can have more than one meaning🤯

[@gas_packk5443]

⁠@@andrewboddy2791well you clearly don’t live in the states bc no1 says “survival of the strongest”🤣 even auto correct goes to fittest

[@Smoke_Rising]

"Do you calculate how many times you drink coffee per day?" That was cold-blooded

[@FindTheFun]

This is what Call of Duty has been preparing us for.

[@zevsrus3234]

Точняк, как и сейчас маски носят, черепа, ,, Призрак,, просто ребята играют войнушку,, а кто на передовой, там кровь и боль, с обоих сторон

[@chadwickfoley730]

Imagine going through ROTC, Boot camp, training you're self to be the best soldier. Just to get you cheeks clapped by a 20 year old vape bro, covered in hot pocket crumbs, from a basement downing his 19th red bull of the day...

[@fezie404]

Init that's just shoved a pipe right up most militarys years training in everything and smoked it in a second by nothing more than effectively a few hundred quid kids toy. It's probably quite angering to some folk that who train hard and then this happens modern warfare is scary

[@Dung30n]

That may have been the case at the start of the conflict. now they're sending rookies and convicts.

[@Yosetime]

He didn't want to be a soldier or do this. He was in medical school. He had to drop out in order to help his country. He is saving many of his countrymen from getting blown up. I don't think any of them are looking at this skilled drone operator with jealousy or anger. And the Russians, most of them not well trained, are doing the same thing with their own drones. Pretty sure any soldier, old school trained or not, understands and adapts to whatever new tools are going to keep them alive. And "Hot pockets"....pretty sure not in a Ukrainian war bunker. It's a moot point to be jealous or angry over. Really

[@itssardine5351]

goes both ways tho, remember that

[@terenceflanagan1225]

Its also going to be the shortest service ever if he actually had to fight in peer to peer combat

[@DJFX9]

Imagine terrorists that see this and be like “We’ve been doing it wrong all this time “

[@timproc9355]

Wouldn’t work to well against us. We already have counter measures against this. There’s a reason they resort to the tactics they use now.

[@pacmandapackman3087]

Is*is was actually some of the first to do the grenade dropped from drones.

[@GenericJohnDoe]

@@timproc9355 A terrorist strike way behind the military directed at civilian targets... I do not think there will be enough if any counter measures if you go solely for soft and easy targets to spred terror an fear. Think about mid west in usa, or some little east coast or west coast cities. Far regions of europe, including france, germany and so on would be such targets, too.

[@JinKee]

@@GenericJohnDoesearch for the short film “slaughterbots” on youtube for a fictional imagining of what such an attack would look like

[@NineteenEighty8]

They have been doing this..

[@tdov7622]

«its a dangerous game both sides play”? Watch your language please - we did not choose to play this game. We are forced to play it to defend our land and our people.

[@jiorno_jowana]

You did not choose. Your president did

[@tdov7622]

@@jiorno_jowana your nothing but a kremlin bot

[@suprotyv7534]

@@jiorno_jowana when did our president made Russians attack Ukraine? I guess Putin is just his puppet.

[@TedFanat]

@@jiorno_jowana If Zelensky would choose to surrender, he wouldn't be a president anymore, and not because russians would conquer the capital, but because we would conquer the president's office

[@jiorno_jowana]

@@TedFanat So he's a dictator? Also it's not surrender if you are trying to talk

[@kurtkaster5666]

10 years ago I was telling everyone warfare would soon be fought by 1000 people in a bunker piloting drones FPV. Things will never be the same.

[@billysunday7507]

Still be guys kicking in the door to said bunker. I can't imagine what they would do to a captured drone pilot

[@arleigh31burke-zc2om]

I said the same thing 11 years ago

[@CrackinJacks138]

You never told anyone that, stop lying.

[@Koshelev85040]

Behind those 1000 are those who bring them into positions, who launch the drones outside the bunker, who provide communication, surveillance, jammers, who protect them all. But the biggest job still on those who in front of them in trenches and those who more likely will be targeted by drones (and not only) from the opposite side.

[@wefrwer-pl4gp]

"its not the strongest that survives, it's the most adaptable" - this guy

[@geraldasgipas5919]

I wondering how he will adapt if his toys disappears and he will be forced run in the forest to adapt🤦‍♂

[@GammaFields]

"Do you calculate how many times you drink coffee a day?" 💀

[@deuspentaamor]

Тако желе да привуку кијевске тинејџере из диско клубова у рат.

[@StormEagle5]

Has some real Dio "How many breads have you eaten in your life?" energy

[@deuspentaamor]

Сву дрогу плаћају американци, а он сам нема појма колико је кафа штетна.

[@andyr0ck]

I knew they were using consumer level FPVs. That's extreme cost efficiency/accuracy. 😯

[@-PLAYER0NE-]

This is definitely something that no one expected to see out of this conflict. It's impressive, but the small consumer level drone era of warfare is so terrifying. You are literally safe nowhere.

[@kettelbe]

Underground bunker it is

[@AbqDez]

I am glad Darwin understands Darwin even if the reporter does not. The very last line is the most powerful.

[@Luggruff]

No, he does. "Survival of the fittest" literally means "Survival of the most adaptable". Fit does not only mean "in good physical shape" in English. #TheMoreYouKnow

[@matt.willoughby]

He is a biology student

[@Evolucija_Vselennoj_music]

+++

[@andrewhooper7603]

@@Luggruff It actually means "survival of the best dressed."

[@blueclover9918]

There wasn't any indication the reporter didn't understand it. He said "survival of the fittest" which is what the original Darwin said

[@loedward1308]

Who says soldiers cannot work from home.

[@DanielOcean-xn1ts]

When you are flying a FPV, you still have to be close to the front. It’s not exactly danger-free, the other side might have same setup that you have, it becomes some kind of chess in the end, every time you take off you risk of being exposed your location.

[@edeverret2320]

@@DanielOcean-xn1ts That's how dumbed down they have these people. They think this guy is working from home. SMH and over 100 people liked the comment. Where did all the smart people go?

[@waly3302]

@@DanielOcean-xn1ts you don't have sense of humor...

[@yesdude3914]

Except he's in a bunker in a war zone only a couple km's from the enemy

[@Hebdomad7]

​​@@yesdude3914 gotta do what it takes to avoid hackers/doxers and get the best ping to win...

[@coops1964]

Keep up the good work my friend who I’ve never met. Slava Ukrainia

[@SadFroge]

I like how metal starts playing after the drone pilot tells us what he listens to while flying. It's a nice touch.

[@aarondonald1611]

Darwin listens to Red Hot Chili Peppers while flying his missions. That rules

[@joshuakuehn]

That sounds like such a vibe

[@tchambers807]

Darwin California

[@fuckoff4705]

@@JackFromWyoming imagine defending a country that wants to destroy a nearby democracy, and then turn around and claim those aiding in defense are consumed by propaganda

[@michelemarr76]

😊

[@joshuakuehn]

@@JackFromWyoming I love propaganda

[@xMrPaintxx]

You can tell she is doing her best, the careful wire tying, accurate soldering.. all scream quality

[@bilyyj]

It's him

[@charonstyxferryman]

@@bilyyj Violetta looks very much like a young woman.

[@fernandopessim]

15:27 ​@@bilyyj

[@iNeedVitamins]

Only 5 a week, she’s lazy

[@robot538]

I think its a side hustle. She probably still has her normal job

[@SwetySnek]

Even miles away from action, I wouldn't trust any media crew not to unintentionally give away my homebase

[@FryingTiger]

They showed his face. There will be a hit squad out as soon as the war ends.

[@TheKobiDror]

You can be shure the footage was reviewed before release.

[@SwetySnek]

@TheKobiDror It's not about the footage. It's about the reporters being there in the first place.

[@edwardmitchell6581]

When they are going through 40 drones a day the media attention is worth it. I hope congress can get their act together.

[@HazelQ]

"Do you keep score?" "Do you calculate how many times you drink coffee per day?" This guy better get a medal at the end of all this

[@Pagajewsky]

This dron pilot looks Like a literally some kind of main character in modern video game.

[@JohnSmith-dg3rd]

cyberpunk2024 Ukraine DLC

[@piwniartysci]

This looks like a mix of Cyberpunk 2077 and I world war. Just back and forth searching for enemy drone bases, or anything to destroy. These drones just go full agro mode when they see anything belonging or being an enemy.

[@viniciusmelo8010]

Yeah, when I saw his goggles I pretty much remembered the Netrunners from Cyberpunk 2020 or 2077

[@nj192]

@@viniciusmelo8010 with the vape smoke too.

[@wonderbread6100]

@@viniciusmelo8010 I do this for fun on the daily. You mean I could get paid for this??

[@viniciusmelo8010]

@@wonderbread6100 If you man the kamikaze drones into russian tanks...yeah!

[@weenis2876]

@@viniciusmelo8010not to nerd out but in cyberpunk, he would be referred to as a rigger!

[@eagleone5456]

He looks like every Reddit moderator

[@kickmcmelon18]

Darwin is the coldest codename ever 😂😂

[@RBCharger]

"Ice Man" is pretty cold.

[@muhcharona]

Is it? Russia will find him eventually, and they are unlikely to be filled with forgiveness.

[@wppz7691]

@@muhcharonaohh shiver me timbers

[@duffman95]

​@muhcharona eh the Russians have lost a lot more than the ukranians, I would say yall have more to fear than them.

[@CASA-dy4vs]

@@muhcharonaomg I shidded my pants in fear!!

[@jaybyrdcybertruck1082]

"It is not the strongest who will survive but the most adaptable" - Darwin Drone King

[@orion3253]

It is immensely tragic that a medical student like this kid had that life of healing and learning taken away from him, but I hope he wins, I hope that Darwin and pilots like him are able to tip the balance of this war and can ultimately save more lives than they take.

[@rumbleb2654]

no one wins in war

[@orion3253]

@@rumbleb2654 It would be so much more simple if that were actually true.

[@ThatOneGuyWhoLostHisHandle]

@@orion3253 How would it be simpler if no one won? Then what you end up with an endless cold war??????????? Besides the quote doesn't mean no one wins the battles............................... It refers to people, equipment, money, morale, etc. Find me a modern war where we gained any more of those things than we lost....

[@joevo2]

that steady hand that he use to fly drone now could had been on the operating table saving lives... the cruelty of war...

[@vladrazym9955]

Thanks a lot for supporting Ukraine, we do appreciate your help, people!

[@shadowblade232]

The guy was studying to be a doctor and the Russian invasion forced him to defend his homeland instead. Wild. A fitting callsign as well.

[@SongsAboutHappiness]

I'm sure Eastern Ukrainians were enjoying their lives before their language and voice were silenced as well. What about the kids on a beach who were attacked by Ukranian artillery?

[@ButtThuck]

​@@SongsAboutHappiness You ever ask why the SVR and Russian military would send artillery into residential eastern Ukraine to launch attacks on Ukrainian forces?

[@Unknown-ek1ox]

@@SongsAboutHappiness Ah the usual whataboutism again by the Kremlin friends and contrarians.

[@tdov7622]

@@SongsAboutHappiness pathetic kremlin bot

[@SongsAboutHappiness]

@@tdov7622 ^ukrat

[@anunnakimenagerie]

Imagine a battle with millions of drones and robots fighting each other at one time, all controlled by millions of teenagers sitting at home in their parent's basements

[@JinKee]

Terry Pratchett wrote a novel like that called “Only You can Save Mankind” and later Ernest Cline (“Ready Player One” did a novel called “Armada” with a similar theme. Robin Williams had a movie called “Toys” like that. And of course there’s “The Last Starfighter” and “Enders Game”. But now we have AI so it will probably be robots killing people in full autonomous mode.

[@lopypop]

please read Ender's Game. You will not be disappointed. They made a movie out of it with Harrison Ford, but it doesn't do the book justice.

[@jimjohnson3410]

You don't need millions of pilots. The process of getting to location can be fairly easily automated. You basically pass control for the last minute or two of flight to the person who is better at hitting specific targets. Strikes every 2 minutes instead of a 15-20 minute cadence this group is at while leaving operators in the loop.

[@BigTomJeff]

I pray there’s a leaderboard somewhere

[@analogueoverdigital929]

​@@BigTomJeffof course there won't be. It's a war😂.

[@cruncheh9917]

for the love of god, BLUR YOUR SURROUNDINGS BEFORE POSTING! opsec isnt a joke, a skilled person can easily find this bunker because you showed an entire dang landscape surrounding it. thanks for potentially getting these guys exposed, way to show gratitude for being allowed to film

[@stevewalker2028]

Superb reportage on the heroic Ukrainian struggle, thank you.

[@mattchagnon5620]

Darwin's closing statement gave me chills!

[@deekay13]

Dude's playing Ace Combat VR on a real battlefield

[@kuhen25]

That young woman creating those drones, is an absolute hero and a gem (no pun intended) of a person!

[@doodskie999]

This kid is a hero, definitely saved a lot of lives by eliminating the main threat. I hope he gets to live a good life if he survives the end of this war.

[@AC-jk8wq]

Go Darwin, stay safe! 😃

[@brickstocker4007]

Good documentary but you shouldn't give out locations of people making drones especially from the public making them a target. That is completely irresponsible from the editors

[@spqr49]

i was thinking the same thing. they show this girls face, give a name, occupation and city where she lives. absolute braindead levels of opsec.

[@PifchoBG]

they probably asked for permission, plus the russians don't have the resources to manhunt any ordinary person or they would have to go after millions of people who help the cause.

[@thomasseeley8124]

Maybe it's propaganda​@@spqr49

[@Didntwanttomakeauser]

Chernivtsi is way in the rear.

[@cosmicdebris2223]

you're right. This should be on a need to know basis... and ALL enemies do not need to know (about the people, their details and locations etc., simply never). Edited: Typo edited.

[@CvC1167]

Asking a man in combat if he pictures the people he is killing is about the most f’d up question you could ever ask.

[@SAR0311]

No, not in combat but. Afterwards it is.

[@gussie88bunny]

That was a very well crafted video. They developed the narrative masterfully, even saving Darwin's call-sign meaning till the very end. So well done. Thank you, Gus.

[@supremeownage8995]

This entire war is such a senseless waste of life. I can't help but think about how each of those faces on the end of these drone videos, has had a path through life that's led them there. They grew up as a kid and filled their head with knowledge, making friends and connections. And then their last moments are just some desperate act to fling something at a drone before it explodes in their face. Makes me think, is there a drone waiting for us all in the future?

[@AntonKoba]

for russians, they'd have a poor boring life... for them it's a best adventure of their lifetime, I guess it's in their culture and education, cult of war and cruelty. obviously they shoulda stayed at home, now no mercy...

[@theobvious1958]

africa is worse than war

[@Kl-bx9gv]

My thoughts exactly.

[@1247.cccccc]

Grotesque journalists like this guy do not help. The coup in 2014 started this conflict; anyone with a heart and a brain knows you don't forget killing your own citizens.

[@eazypeazy8559]

sure, so russians can get home

[@disturbingdevelopment4308]

Excellent reporting. Putin has forced this young man, who would be normally saving lives, to take them. Shame on Putin and Russia for this unnecessary hardship.

[@dustywoood]

Yeah, it's totally a one sided conflict, nothing like.... Oh.... Wait.... I don't know..... Cancelling the Minisk agreements in order to arm Ukraine with Western equipment? Yeah, that's not provocative in anyway... Let's just install military equipment on Russia's border like that wouldn't provoke a response or anything....

[@juliencoque9230]

They don't feel ashamed since a long time

[@aleksandrs1422]

I think in general, unhinged uniformed peope in unmarked vans force people like that into fighting. Only not as drone operators, typically.

[@mladenmanda103]

You mean Biden and Boris Johnson? Nah, you clearly have no idea about the World, it is the circles behind them that wanted and made this happen.

[@marcusaurelius3487]

America forced him* Nuland forced him*

[@kamingalbert]

He should a good surgeon with such a pair of hands and nerve. 😢

[@authoraven]

"war has changed" look at the face of that soldier @14.28 before he dies, there is no honor in war.

[@Enkrod]

As soon as that war ends, there'll be a LOT of young Ukrainians and Russians that have lots of experience in building and operating deadly drones. They'll be training soldiers all around the world.

[@williambreedyk7861]

A very self aware and intelligent young man.

[@deuspentaamor]

Веома дрогиран, наркоману.

[@Okahui]

crazy how i have almost the exact setup and hes pushing it this far

[@aaronxu2466]

AS a FPV pilot, I do not want to see the thing I love, become a killing machine

[@zen5419-so8kp]

true. he had to adapt using the tech that does it best; FPV drones.

[@stevenjohns-savage7024]

Great work guys 😁

[@TheDsa61]

This darwin is living proof of what he said verbatim: Those who can adapt survive.

[@MH-gb5ky]

the survivors will be counted at the end...

[@HalcyonYDG]

This needs to be outlawed

[@frostydastonedman9744]

Who's going to enforce it? The ship sailed off already...

[@Sicaoisdead]

Brings a whole new meaning to ‘camping’ in the lobby.

[@davidsolsbery9487]

Medical student...excellent hand-eye coordination...makes sense

[@chrisderidder4087]

Bro gamers do this job 10 times better than a doctor

[@oliveryt7168]

​@@chrisderidder4087 he's hyped for Ukraine.. little does he know..

[@mryouben]

Your resistance is an inspiration to us

[@yardfowl3149]

LOL.................................................................................................................

[@John_shepard]

Enough to inspire you to volunteer to the front lines?

[@clayr6724]

@@John_shepardthat’s the only other solution? They are saying they are inspired by resistance to an aggressor criminal nation.

[@pinchevulpes]

Triggered orc comment section 😂

[@lam0bot]

US sends paper and outdated equipment. Ukraine sends cannon fodder. Nice deal, ukrotards LOL

[@hypogogix9125]

The truth of this is incredibly heart breaking.

[@user-xw4hn7lb3x]

Anddd...guess who is paying for that war?

[@leonardgrant6876]

Wow, that fpv drone pilot concentration is out of this world.

[@johnpierce1470]

If the suggested figures are accurate, 2750 FPVDs manufactured daily solely in Ukraine, let-alone during wartime, is pretty solid production.

[@davidchang5265]

Honestly crazy, if even 10% of the drones manufactured daily hits the target, that's 275 enemy casualties minimum daily just from drones

[@sinfulgrace]

and most don't work against Russian EW and are made of carboard, lol that you listen to Kiev propaganda

[@lam0bot]

It's diy replacement for artillery, clown. And they need 10x of that to even match Russia

[@ineedgoldenretriever]

@@sinfulgraceif they were made of cardboard russians wouldn’t have such a hard time getting any land 😂

[@marymckenzie9298]

I donate to Sternenko who sends 200 to 500 drones everyday to the front. I think overall accuracy is probably a little higher than 10% but no where near 50%. Considering the cost of the drones being less than $400usd it's money well spent. Compare that to damage done its way more effective even at 10% than any weapon. Of course he sends long range, thermal, and heavy lift drones too but even their cost is still below $1k. BTW each drone series has a name that you see at the bottom of the screen that refers to who they were made for(as in the volunteer group or what they want the series to be named). I saw 4 different ones for them. 92nd is a top tier unit and if they get them from several groups then they are a top operating group.

[@spqr2849]

Прикольный парень. Удачи ему и пусть хранит его Бог!

[@brian_atc]

It broke my heart when asked what he'd be doing if there was no war? ......"in third year of medical school". What a crime against humanity, thanks to Putin. SMH

[@goyindi]

This was a fascinating and well produced documentary. Darwin is a badass

[@KronStaro]

drone operators are probably highest priority target for the enemy side

[@commonsense2497]

Outstanding video. Most people don't realize how dangerous it is for the reporter. Thanks

[@Krogzaxants]

Drones must be one of the most scary things in this war.

[@etherashe5164]

Yeah, it would be like getting blown up by a giant bug.

[@Juliejoujou]

...and they are

[@doodskie999]

definitely, imagine hearing that incessant buzzing sound, not knowing it would be coming for you. Id tremble in anxiety

[@agebloue7727]

fpv drone where invented by hobbyists to fly around for fun. They are usually used for freestyle flying, racing or videography. Imagine you're one of the original inventor hobbyists who now has to witness that your free time invention is used in actual war. The first fpv drones where build using old wii controllers because of the gyroscope chipset inside. I bet my left hand many ukranians and russians use the tutorials of joshua Bradwell to learn building them.

[@justiceroadrallies]

Most engineers know this. You can never put the genie back into the lamp. Once the world has your technology they will never give it back and it might be used for something you never intended or wanted it to be used for.

[@RonnieD1982]

Albert said something along these lines about his little nuclear invention

[@d3ltaohniner261]

The 1st quads definitely predated the Nintendo Wii, I remember seeing grainy videos of the Draganfly drones on computers in Jr high, long before Wii existed...

[@scottperkins5038]

"Do you count how many times you drink coffee," props to the lad, its not fun and its not pretty, it's his job and he does it well.

[@thatguy2705]

8 minutes and 28 seconds is a shot straight out of cyberpunk i swear to god.

[@chad872]

Stay strong Ukraine

[@ems6233]

Ага и плоди новых нацистов) А мы их снабдим оружием..... только вот, это не поможет. Нацисты и их приспешники будут уничтожены.

[@lam0bot]

Ukraine is a terrorist state

[@gfrizzleshizzlemanizzle]

Seems like a cool kid. Love and peace from New Zealand. Hope you can all live a normal life soon and this madness stops.

[@AntonKoba]

This is too far from over, not every cool kid gonna make it

[@vladgarcia4487]

​@@AntonKobaat least they lived and died fighting for their lives, family and home. They fought for something much greater than themselves. You could live up to a hundred but could you say the same that you fought for something greater than yourself?

[@TwistedHigh]

Let's be honest, he's kind of a psycho

[@AntonKoba]

@@vladgarcia4487 they're our heroes, the thing is normal life might never come. Or you know you can never get that war out of you, even when it's over

[@maryanchabursky9148]

As soon as ruSSia stops its invasion then the ruSSian invasion of Ukraine will stop.

[@SteezyMcDude]

What a truly fascinating world we live in.

[@DancePartyBlammo]

this reporter crossed a line with some of his questions to a active solider.

[@user-hr2zy7ct8h]

The drone pilot crossed a line when he laughed after killing a man. KZbin crossed a line showing us this disgusting content without any PSA warnings attached. But as long as it furthers the agenda it's fine. Imagine if the tables turned and we had a Russian kid here laughing about killing someone. The comments would be very different, the video wouldn't even be allowed to exist, so F this entire thing all together

[@DrParsley-py5oc]

20:08 Yes like this question like why man.

[@froschreiniger2639]

I love how they have such a wide selection of payloads. Frag bombs (i think) for people, normal shaped charge for vehicle/multi role, big tandem charge for tanks and a "pipe cleaner" big box.

[@caav56]

There are also incendiary payloads, BTW. Just not shown by this team.

[@siemasiema21377]

@@caav56 i mean its war, it could be even radioactive dust or some this with viruses

[@Nsgnaturally-ux7uc]

As an fpv pilot I find it crazy that my hobby is being used in a full scale war

[@abussin]

The meaning behind Darwin’s nickname is spot on

[@joshflugel]

Never underestimate the playstation generation.

[@angelikaopland7880]

Too many video games can't even be applied like this; they are too simplistic & teach players nothing useful about anything: Jump. Turn. Hit. Jump again. Die. Respawn. What?

[@mosuke5123]

Uhm depends on the generation you are talking about. This kid wasnt even planned when the PS1 was launched (29 years ago).

[@joshflugel]

@@mosuke5123 Catch up buddy, a few more playstations have been released since then.

[@joshflugel]

@@angelikaopland7880 There's so much beyond candy crush in your phone...

[@mosuke5123]

@@joshflugel Learn to read, thats why i wrote: "Depends on the generation you are talking about".

[@MudHut67]

the ghost of kiev is a drone pilot now? wow

[@djsonicc]

Drone operator literally took work from home to battlefield.

[@lonelyavatar]

I think the interviewer was more interested in getting in Darwin's head than 'inside the bunker'.

[@atakorkut5110]

As a Turk growing up in the same area as these guys around the same age as these guys, I can definitely confirm the ad Abra Kadabra it was a huge meme in Europe, Russia, caucuses, Turkey.

[@evilfingers4302]

No other FPV Game can ever compare to what Ukrainian Drone Operators see through their Headsets.

[@informitas0117]

Because it's not a game.

[@Rabidracc000ns]

@@informitas0117it is imagine a war fight like this only drone operator against drone operator Ppl sitting inside playing video games tryna take out the other group playing video games (but this video game brings fatal consequences)

[@c4ssowary]

fpv isnt a game 💀 we fly actual quads too

[@Rabidracc000ns]

@@c4ssowary it literally is he’s playing like it’s cod getting hit markers.

[@evilfingers4302]

@@c4ssowary what do you think quadcopters with cameras are cameras?

[@HighLordCrypto8951]

dystopian af

[@mazscsu]

Looks like we made it to a post apocalyptic hunger games world.

[@tyrichardson4352]

These men will be hated more than snipers.

[@MrCow579]

Who knew 100 years ago that it would be nerds causing the most damage in a war lol

[@analog_astronaut]

Who do you think concepted, designed, and made the Atomic Bomb come into existence? Nerds will always be at the forefront of combat.

[@zawadix9574]

You're absolutely correct. What a what a different world we live in.

[@thomasseeley8124]

Was it not nerds doing all the bomb drop calculations in WW2?

[@peres9559]

All the engineering is kinda nerdy and boring at first. Then the fun comes in

[@MrCow579]

@@thomasseeley8124 They did, but not from the front-lines like these drone dudes do!

[@neanda]

this is such a cool news report, i haven't heard of this channel before. new sub, nice one guys

[@ohmynoche]

If you pause at 14:29, you can see the expression on the guy’s face knowing he’s about to die.

[@curtisCclarke]

Ukraine needs to protect this guy 'Darwin' at almost all cost.

[@aarondonald1611]

Bro he's in bunkers 24/7 what are you talking about

[@curtisCclarke]

@@aarondonald1611 : First off, who is your comment directed towards? 'Darwin' is clearly not inside military bunkers 24/7/365! Furthermore, shallow military bunkers can easily be accessed, & / or bombed out.

[@aleale6277]

Delusional comment.

[@dustywoood]

The guy is basically a serial killer now, and Ukrainian Drone operators target medical evacuation units / wounded soldiers constantly. He's not going to be a positive feature back into normal society post war.

[@1247.cccccc]

Yes, yes, propaganda really works. Protect the ghost of Kiev at all costs.

[@hahtos]

Impressive young man defending his country against a looney dictator's aggression.