The 429th Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment "ACHILLES", known for its Vampire heavy bombers (which Russians fearfully call "Baba Yaga"), has recently officially expanded into a brigade and joined the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (USF AFU). The decision to expand was based on the unit's combat effectiveness.
This was also recognized by the political leadership: recently, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the commander of the 429th Separate Unmanned Systems Brigade "Achilles," Major Yuriy "Achilles" Fedorenko, the title of Hero of Ukraine.
spoke with him about the unit's journey from a Territorial Defense (TRO) company to a brigade, how the Unmanned Systems Forces support the infantry, values, training, service conditions, and why discipline is more important than motivation.
How Drones Changed the War
What is the significance of drones in combat today? Are they a supporting force, an additional advantage, or the primary means of destruction?
Drones have completely changed the nature of war. Artillery, armored vehicles, and tanks no longer have the advantage in distance or protection. Infantry warfare has also changed: the era of open assaults is over. Now the task is to dig in as deep as possible, and the enemy's only hope is to "seep through" at the junctions of combat formations. Drones have provided the key ability to see the enemy here and now, and consequently, to destroy them with surgical precision...
Commander Yuriy Fedorenko receives the highest state award — the "Gold Star" order and the title of Hero of Ukraine from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. January 2026 / Source: www.instagram.com/fedorenko__yuriy/
Professionalism and Training
...service is no picnic. And I won’t tell anyone that you’ll be flying from Kyiv or any other cozy place while sitting with a hookah.
Yes, today you can operate remotely, but tomorrow certain services that don’t depend on our state might shut down, and you’ll have to go out into the field. It wouldn’t be honest to tell people they will only work remotely.
A pilot from the "Achilles" company works in a snowy trench / Source: Gvara Media
A soldier is a soldier, myself included. And if we need to pick up small arms, we will, and we must know how to use them. But we work as much as possible to use the unmanned component and achieve results on the line of combat contact through it alone. We are succeeding in this.
What is the Main Requirement for a Soldier?
Discipline is one of the key elements necessary for fulfilling tasks. Service is not "haha." It’s not 2022 anymore, when people ran on drive and adrenaline, attacked in groups, blew up 10 tanks, regrouped, and ran further. At the moment, war is not about adventurism or romance at all. It is systemic operational work—repeating the same actions until you perfectly understand your equipment, know how to provide tactical medical aid, use communication tools, understand drone tactics, and many other components.
Destruction of Russian armored vehicles by an "Achilles" pilot / Source: Youtube screenshot
There is no "drive" in repetitive actions; people need to understand that. It is difficult, monotonous work. Believe me, an undisciplined person cannot survive on four hours of sleep a day—and not even every day, but in fragments—for four years. Therefore, when motivation fades due to routine or domestic issues, discipline must remain. Motivation will inevitably return later.
Not at the right time, not in the right place, not in the right composition, and so on. They "blew it off" and drove into the fog, drove right up to the position instead of walking—there are many factors. But 80% of various injuries could have been avoided. I’m talking about the 429th Brigade specifically; it’s different for everyone. To survive, you must be trained and disciplined. If soldiers do everything correctly, there is a high probability they won’t get hurt.
Growth and Development
There should be no thought like "I know everything, I can do everything, I fly better than everyone." Neither for a ground robotic complex pilot nor for any aerial pilot is there a limit to development. Technology is changing rapidly, and every additional flight becomes more sophisticated, resulting in less equipment used to achieve greater results on the battlefield.
Honig skills in "Achilles" happens constantly — Yuriy Fedorenko / Source: facebook.com/fedorenkoyurii
A very important task for the brigade is the preservation of pilots, so we work towards reducing the number of people located directly on the line of combat contact. Accordingly, technical solutions are being implemented to separate the positions that prep and launch the drone from the positions from which it is actually piloted. I won’t share details, but the Defense Forces are moving very actively in this direction.
Unfortunately, the enemy understands this quite well too. They are also moving towards maximizing the survivability of their flight crews because training is long and expensive even for Russia, which doesn't count its manpower. But for us—those for whom human life is the highest value and the primary capital of our state—we must do everything possible and impossible to save lives.
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