Tension and anxiety can be felt in the air as the darkness of the night on August 20 over the Odesa region is illuminated by the fire of the Ukrainian air defense forces. This night became another proof of the effectiveness of the mobile fire groups, which played a key role in repelling a massive drone attack.
As a result of the coordinated actions of the Ukrainian army, 21 enemy Shahed-type kamikaze drones were shot down, as well as several other unmanned aerial vehicles. Photos of the dramatic events are circulating on social media, often causing confusion among users, but in fact showing one of the mobile groups in action in the area of the city of Izmail.
The Unexpected Effectiveness of Small Units
Each Russian attack reveals the increasing role of the so-called mobile fire groups. These special formations, part of the country_q_s air defense, are usually equipped with light pickup trucks with mounted machine guns, and the soldiers in them are armed with automatic weapons. Their task is to counter low-flying drones, which pose a constant threat to the civilian population and critical infrastructure.
While it may seem unusual, automatic weapons are proving to be an extremely effective means against the Shahed drones. The reason lies in their technical characteristics: they fly relatively slowly—usually between 170 and 195 km/h, with newer models able to reach up to 215 km/h—and at a low altitude, not higher than two kilometers. This specificity makes them vulnerable even to small arms fire. A single accurate hit to the fuselage or engine is enough to disable the drone and cause it to crash.
The Defense Puzzle
During massive attacks, when Russia launches dozens of drones simultaneously, even the most modern systems like Patriot and NASAMS cannot handle the entire volume of targets. In such moments, the mobile groups become the most effective and flexible defense, complementing the work of classic air defense.
Their key advantage is their maneuverability. Thanks to real-time data provided by radar systems that detect enemy unmanned aerial vehicles from a distance, the command can accurately predict the flight trajectory and the likely impact zone. This allows the mobile teams to quickly change their positions and take optimal firing lines to intercept the Shaheds on the move. In this way, the Ukrainian warriors turn these teams into an extremely effective tool for preemptive defense that leaves no room for the enemy to maneuver.
One of the striking examples of the success of this tactic was observed on the night of August 20. In the Izmail area, where the mobile groups are particularly active, they managed to shoot down six of the attacking drones, and in the Odesa region—one more. A photo published by Bessarabia INFORM visually shows what this battle looks like: soldiers armed with automatic rifles and machine guns shooting at the night sky, defending the cities from the deadly threat that descends from above.