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In Ukraine's river war, drones mean nowhere is safe

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There are few places from where you can see Russian-occupied territory with the naked eye in Ukraine.

The western bank of the Dnipro river in the city of Kherson is one of them.

You can't see the Russian troops on the other low, marshy riverbank, but you know they're there.

Incoming artillery fire as we arrive at an abandoned building serves as a sharp reminder.

There is nothing new about shelling in war. But the unit we're meeting deals with one of the key innovations of this invasion: drones.

As we hug the side of the building and take cover in the stairwell, we're led inside from the freezing winter winds to the warmth of a militarised living room.

The smell of a strawberry vape hangs above these Ukrainian soldiers, sitting on armchairs with looks of quiet focus and cans of Monster energy drink. You imagine the floral wallpaper wasn't their choice.

Artem, a 20-year-old pilot, suddenly sits up. They're told the Russians have launched drones from across the water.

"It's from a location known to us," explains Tymur, commander of the Samosud squad in Ukraine's 11th National Guard Brigade.

"Our goal is to destroy the pilots. We have the coordinates, so we're flying there right now."

There are at least a dozen drones on the floor - all loaded with grenades. A cat, the unit's unofficial mascot, nuzzles against one of the propellers.

One drone is taken outside as Artem puts on his VR headset.

We watch on the TV as he flies it across the river into occupied territory. From this vantage point, there are no obvious signs of life.

A few kilometres later, Artem's drone arrives at an industrial area. It passes a warehouse before hovering next to a block of flats.

He eventually spots an antenna next to a window in the stairwell, and flies straight into it. The screen turns blue. Artem exhales and removes his headset.

"When we first did this it was emotional," says Artem. "Now this is business as usual."

"I didn't get enough time to play computer games before [the full-scale invasion]. Now I'm catching up!"

They launch another drone but the screen turns blue as soon as it crosses the river. The Russians have turned on their jamming system.

A third then makes the same journey. This time it makes it through, and Artem returns to the block of flats.

He's able to confirm the antenna was destroyed. With 10 minutes of battery life left, he flies off to see what else he can detect, or destroy.

His unit has been targeting a main road which the Russians use to deliver supplies. Civilians are banned from driving there, so the Ukrainian drone pilots hit anything with wheels.

Artem spots a Russian checkpoint and flies towards it. Unfortunately for him, they use a jamming gun and the screen turns blue as he gets close. He exhales again.

"No matter how many times we hit the same places, [the Russians] are constantly replenished," says Tymur. "They're kind of fearless."

With each drone costing around $500 (£396), it's a constant cycle of launch, seek and destroy.

The returns however can be significant. Tymur says his team once destroyed an S-350 air defence missile system worth $136m.

Drones mean the Russians can't hide anywhere within 10km (six miles) of the front line.

But, crucially, the invaders are doing exactly the same to the Ukrainians.

Under constant drone surveillance and enemy bombardment, life has gradually drained from Kherson's streets. Aside from a limited crossing further up the Dnipro near the town of Krynky, Ukrainian attacks here are only probing, and require patience.

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