Russian Matka drone threat surges on eastern Ukraine frontline
Russian "mother drones" carrying kamikaze units are ramping up attacks on Ukraine’s frontline near Dobropillia and Sloviansk.
Ukrainian forces spotted a winged drone buzzing above a checkpoint, despite Russian positions being 20 km away — out of range for most enemy drones. The drone was likely a Molniya or Matka, the latter known for carrying four smaller attack drones to double strike range. 
Maxime, officer with Ukraine’s 14th assault brigade, Tchervona Kalyna ("Red Viburnum"), shared details about the drone’s evolving threat:
"The situation is deteriorating rapidly."
"That drone had wings. It was either a Molniya or a Matka."
"The latter is a ‘mother drone,’ which carries four small loitering munitions, or kamikaze drones."
"This mother drone doubles the range of Russian attack drones."
"It is also used for aerial reconnaissance and for guiding its ‘children’ to their targets."
"We saw the first Matka 10 months ago. Since then, it’s been improved and has spread everywhere."
"The road to Dobropillia is heavily targeted now. There are destroyed vehicles everywhere, including civilian ones."
"If the ‘children’ don’t find a high-value target [armored vehicles or artillery], they start to strike anything that’s alive."
The road linking Sloviansk and Dobropillia is now a hotspot of drone strikes, with numerous vehicles destroyed and troops forced to take cover from these long-range aerial threats.
ADRIEN VAUTIER/LE PICTORIUM FOR LE MONDE
These drones are multiplying the battlefield danger as Russia pushes enhanced drone warfare tactics in eastern Ukraine.
