The Ukrainian military has destroyed two bridges inside Russia’s Belgorod region in an operation highlighting the effectiveness of cheap, first-person-view (FPV) drones on the battlefield. The attacks were carried out by Ukraine’s 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, which used the drones to identify and then target hidden Russian ammunition under the bridges near the border with the Kharkiv region.

According to Ukrainian officials, the two bridges were supply routes for Russian forces operating near the frontlines. They had also been mined and prepared for demolition by the Russian military in case of a rapid Ukrainian advance. Such defensive measures are not uncommon. In February 2022, Ukraine destroyed several bridges leading toward Kyiv in the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion to slow Moscow’s offensive and protect the capital. Now, Ukrainian forces appear to have turned that same tactic against Russia.

The 58th Brigade said it began investigating one of the bridges after noticing suspicious activity in the area. “It became clear that something was going on there,” a representative of the unit told CNN. Standard reconnaissance drones could not be used to scout the bridge without losing the signal under the structure, so the brigade deployed a specially adapted FPV drone equipped with fiber optics to investigate.

The drone discovered a large cache of anti-tank mines and other ammunition under the bridge. “We saw the mines, and we struck,” the brigade representative said. Video released by the 58th Brigade shows the drone approaching the bridge, identifying the hidden ammunition, before detonating in a large explosion.

A second camera, placed at a distance, recorded the attack from a distance. CNN geolocated the bridge to the Belgorod region, across the border from Kharkiv. The unit also checked another bridge nearby and found that it, too, had been mined. The 58th Brigade launched a second drone under that bridge, triggering a second large explosion.

“(We) saw an opportunity and took it,” the brigade said.

The Attack Was Cost-Effective

Ukraine has destroyed two bridges near its border with Russia using cheap, FPV drones instead of missile systems. The drones the 58th Brigade used to scout and then strike the two bridges cost between 25,000 and 30,000 Ukrainian hryvnias each. Converted into U.S. dollars, that is roughly $600–$725 per drone.

By comparison, destroying bridges from a distance at that range would typically require more expensive guided missiles or precision bombs. Ukraine has used U.S.-supplied HIMARS rocket systems in the past to target infrastructure deep inside Russia, including in the Kursk region. Each HIMARS launcher costs millions of dollars, and the individual rockets run to tens of thousands apiece. In contrast, the Belgorod bridges were destroyed with drones worth less than a smartphone.

Analysts say the attack shows how Ukraine is reshaping the battlefield with relatively inexpensive drones. For Moscow, the strikes on the Belgorod bridges mark another example of the risks posed by Ukraine’s long-range drones, which are able to strike far inside Russian territory without expending the expensive Western-supplied munitions Ukraine needs for large-scale attacks. This is not the first time Ukraine has used small FPV drones to maximum effect. In June, Ukrainian forces used drones smuggled up close to Russian military airfields to destroy or damage dozens of Russian aircraft. “These types of operations show how even modest technology can achieve outsized results when used creatively,” military analyst Mykola Bielieskov said, adding that the drones give Kyiv a much cheaper way to offset Russia’s much larger arsenal.

A Sign of Ukrainian Success

Ukraine has destroyed two bridges in the Belgorod region using first-person-view drones. The attacks on the two bridges in the Belgorod region come as Ukraine is having a difficult time on the frontlines. Russian forces have been making slow gains in eastern Ukraine, while Moscow continues to target Ukrainian cities with near-daily missile and drone strikes. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has also spoken about delaying any ceasefire talks for the time being, while Russian forces continue their offensive.

Against this backdrop, the news that two bridges had been destroyed in Russia provided a rare piece of positive news for Ukraine. Russia has not yet commented on the Belgorod bridge attacks. However, the loss of the bridges will make it more difficult for the Russian military to move ammunition and supplies in the Belgorod region, disrupting logistics for troops near the Ukrainian border.

FPV drones have become a mainstay of Ukraine’s war effort as it grapples with ammunition shortages. Because Western supplies can be limited and Russian forces often have numerical superiority, Kyiv has been forced to improvise. FPV drones have become particularly effective for Ukraine. They are often assembled from commercial parts and then modified by volunteers to evade radar.

“The value of these drones cannot be overstated,” the 58th Brigade representative said. “They allow us to achieve results that would otherwise require weapons we don’t have.” As the war continues, Ukraine’s ability to adapt and to strike creatively deep inside Russian territory may be key in blunting Moscow’s battlefield advantages. And for now, two destroyed bridges in Belgorod stand as a symbol of that.