FP-1 "flapped its wings" over Ryazan before the strike: aviation expert explains what the unusual maneuver of the Ukrainian UAV means
Kyiv • UNN
The Ukrainian drone FP-1 performed a Wing Rocking maneuver before striking targets in Ryazan. An aviation expert explained that this is a symbolic gesture of etiquette and a warning.
The Ukrainian long-range drone FP-1, manufactured by Fire Point, performed an unusual maneuver before hitting a target in Russia's Ryazan – a wing rocking motion known in aviation as Wing Rocking. Aviation expert, former officer of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Anatoliy Khrapchynskyi, explained that in classical aviation this gesture is a display of professional etiquette, and in the context of combat use it has acquired symbolic meaning, reports UNN.
FP-1 drones struck the Wildberries sorting center and an oil refinery in Ryazan. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 29 confirmed the information about the strike.
The Ryazan oil refinery is one of the largest oil refining enterprises in the Russian Federation. The plant, owned by Rosneft, is capable of processing over 17 million tons of oil per year, producing gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel. It is among the key fuel suppliers for central regions of Russia. A video appeared online of a Ukrainian UAV flying over Ryazan "waving its wings."
According to aviation expert Anatoliy Khrapchynskyi, Wing Rocking is a traditional aviation maneuver during which an aircraft rocks its wings from side to side.
"In classical aviation, the Wing Rocking maneuver (rocking wings from side to side) is the highest display of etiquette. This is how pilots greet spotters at air shows, thank ground services, or confirm receipt of a command. But during another visit to Ryazan, the Ukrainian kamikaze drone FP-1 took this etiquette to a new level," – he explained.
Khrapchynskyi noted that the Ukrainian UAV performed this maneuver while flying over residential areas right before hitting the target. According to the expert, this gesture can be interpreted in several dimensions.
"To civilians — no panic": a warning maneuver for locals: the drone has no claims against them and operates strictly under international humanitarian law. "We are precise": a demonstrative gesture of course stability and control before destroying another military facility or oil refining enterprise. "Hello to air defense": a visual signal to Russian operators that their air defense systems have once again slept through," – he explained.
Summing up, Khrapchynskyi noted that Ukrainian drones demonstrate not only high precision but also "aviation culture."
"It turns out that Ukrainian drones have better aviation culture and adhere to the rules of war much more conscientiously than all Russian aviation combined. Gentlemen in the sky work exactly like that," – the aviation expert summarized.