The Armed Forces found a way to fight ShahED: the river fleet stops UAV attacks in the embryo - CNN

These boats are also used to combat Iranian drones that fly low and therefore do not fall into radars. About it reports CNN. Boats have a few armor, but they evade hostile attacks due to speed and maneuverability. "We are looking for enemies everywhere - in the air, on the ground and on the river," Captain Anton told about his task, his name is not called for security reasons. Dnipro, which lasts 2200 km, is considered the fourth of the longest rivers in Europe.

It is a strategic object: it connects Kiev, Dnipro, Zaporozhye and Kherson, provides accessibility of water resources, electricity and serves as a natural protection against enemy armies. Dnieper water also cools nuclear reactors to Zaporizhzhya NPP. "The river is a strategic object," the captain explained. "Now [after the explosion on the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station] we understand how important it is to protect it.

" That is why Ukraine began to develop a river fleet: to take control of the river and its coast for a counter -offensive. In addition to the equipment of Soviet times and civilian ships, modernized as military, Ukraine has recently received support from the US and NATO to strengthen its river fleet. According to the US State Department, only Washington only handed over 62 shore and patrol boats to Ukraine, in particular at least 18 patrol boats Dauntless Sea Ark.

Their maximum speed is 35 knots (about 65 km/h). Dauntless SEA ARK is equipped with two installed machines and 40 mm grenade launchers. Which adds such necessary power for the Armed Forces River operations. "Our mission is to patrol the Dnieper. Because after February 24, any navigation is forbidden, we have to check every boat that appears . . . to check any suspicious objects," he explained.

Initially, the main problem was Russian insurgents and other sabotage activity, but since then Moscow began to attack Ukrainian cities with Iranian drones of Shahd, the coast protection began to play an additional role. "Russia often launches drones over the river, close to the water, so it is difficult for Ukrainian air defense and radars to detect them. Here we have to act as a river fleet.

When Russia uses Shahd drones, we can attack them on these boats, which is also part of our work," - he explained, "he explained. " captain. Despite some successes - the drowning of the cruiser "Moscow", the return of control over the island of Snake, etc. - Kiev, it is difficult to compete with the Russian Federation in the Black Sea. Moscow stores a large part of the Black Sea Fleet, and US assistance was mainly aimed at increasing land forces.