The Russian "Sparta" unit launched around 100 "Lancet" attack drones over three months, but managed to hit only three targets. Most of the drones were neutralized by Ukrainian air defenses. Defence Blog reports this, citing a statement by pro-Russian figure Pavel Gubarev, UNN writes.
Details
According to Gubarev, the unit had been conducting launches since mid-June under the command of Russian officer Kirill Ozerov, call sign "Nevsky."
Among the targets hit, he named a self-propelled artillery system, an infantry dugout, and a roadside store. The Russians destroyed some of the drones themselves because of poor coordination between units.
Millions in expenses and accusations against the command
Gubarev estimated the cost of one "Lancet" at $37,000–$67,000. Thus, the cost of approximately 100 launches could have ranged from $3.7 million to $6.1 million.
He accused commanders of using the expensive drones inefficiently and submitting reports to the leadership about supposedly successful strikes.
According to the data cited by Gubarev, the success rate of the launches was only about 3%. There is currently no independent confirmation of these figures.