Baba Yaga is wrecking Russian front lines in Ukraine and making Putin wary of big bomber drones

Time of India

25-07-2025

Russian troops deployed along the front lines in Ukraine are facing not only the enemy soldiers but also a deadly adversary which they believe has mythical connections. Named
Baba Yaga
by Russian soldiers, the Ukrainian
heavy bomber drones
are taking a heavy toll of life and military equipment.
With the war continuing for over three-and-a-half-years, the Ukrainian military has developed its drone units like the 412th Nemesis Separate Battalion of the Unmanned Systems Forces, into a powerful offensive arm. Ukraine's drone units have started a new era in modern warfare and hit several high-value Russian targets including strategic nuclear bombers some thousands of kilometers inside the country.
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One such unit which has made life tough for Russian soldiers is the 412th Nemesis Separate Battalion of the Unmanned Systems Forces, which uses heavy bomber drones to target the enemy. Baba Yaga or the Ukrainian heavy bomber drone has played a major role in slowing and in many instances stopping the adversary's advance.
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When Russian President
Vladimir Putin
launched what he calls Special Military Operation, a euphemism for invasion, in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, he had hoped for a quick victory. But Ukraine's
drone warfare
has turned out to be a major revelation.
Putin's forces have failed to establish aerial or land superiority since the start of the war and in only the last fews months have been able to counter Ukraine's lethal use of drone.
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How Ukraine arms Baba Yagas
There are many heavy bomber drones in Ukraine's arsenal like the Nemesis, Vampire, Aerorozvidka R18, and Kazhan. They are built to carry bombs weighing between 20 to 40 pounds and can hit targets 12 miles away. Some of them have four rotors, while other variants have six or eight depending on the kind of mission or targets they have assigned
Ukraine has modified mortar shells and anti-tank mines to fit onto the heavy bomber drones. Some Baba Yaga drones are armed with 22-pound TM-62 anti-tank mines and others take off with 82mm and 120mm mortar bombs. Ukraine has also successfully deployed many drones with two TM-62 on a single mission, delivering a deadly blow to the Russian war machine.
These drones are mostly used in the night as they are slow moving and noisy because of bigger engines, making them an easy target for Russian troops to shoot down during day time.
At least one of the Baba Yagas known as 'Vampire" is resistant to jamming and electronic warfare (EW), claims Ukraine. These bomber drones can also keep flying and return to their bases even after being hit by Russian small arms fire, as per Ukrainian troops operating them.
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United 24 Media website, run by the Ukrainian government, reported speaking to a soldier operating Vampire drones who revealed how a Baba Yaga returned to its base even after suffering damages "There was a case during a combat sortie when the enemy opened fire and hit our drone. A bullet hit it, passed through the entire battery, and got stuck. Despite the hit, the battery held up, and the drone managed to return to the takeoff point,' the soldier by the callsign Scorpio said.
Data shared by Ukraine's Ministry of Defense shows its defense forces received nearly 1.3 million drones in 2024. These included reconnaissance, strike, and FPV kamikaze drones.
Who is Baba Yaga?
A supernatural witch in Slavic mythology, Baba Yaga flies in a cauldron or mortar. According to folklore, Baba Yaga lives in forests in a hut and eats chicken legs.
She has two versions. Sometimes Baba Yaga is an old woman with a ferocious-looking face and is shown eating children after frying them. In other folklore, she is a kind, old and helpful woman.