A dangerous new front is emerging in the Russia-Ukraine war as attackers and alleged intelligence operatives increasingly target executives and engineers developing the cutting-edge drone technology that is reshaping the battlefield, industry experts warned Sunday.The attacks include an Aug.4 car bombing near Yekaterinburg that critically injured Vladimir Tkachuk, head of Russian drone manufacturer Uraldronzavod, and killed his driver, according to Russian state news agency TASS, The Associated Press reported.His company produces the "Upyr," or "Ghoul," a first-person-view attack drone used by Russian forces in Ukraine.'A NEW KIND OF WAR': INSIDE UKRAINE'S HIDDEN FACTORIES MASS-PRODUCING COMBAT DRONESA car bombing near Yekaterinburg that critically injured Vladimir Tkachuk, head of Russian drone manufacturer Uraldronzavod, and killed his driver.
(Valeriy Sharifulin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)Days earlier, Andrei Cherezov, head of another Russian drone company, was shot three times in Tula overnight July 28-29 in an apparent assassination attempt, according to Ukrainian outlet Pravda.Authorities have not publicly attributed either attack to Ukraine.Draganfly CEO Cameron Chell told Fox News Digital that the rise in attacks comes as Russia and Ukraine race for an edge in drone warfare, making the relatively small number of people responsible for developing new technology increasingly important targets."When you can't take out all the distributed infrastructure, drone manufacturing leadership becomes the primary target," Chell said."These strikes in Russia and Ukraine and Germany on founders, leaders, engineers of defense and, in particular, drone-type companies are down to drones and these companies having such an impact themselves."UKRAINE’S BATTLEFIELD IS TRANSFORMING THE FUTURE OF NATOAnti-drone laser system trialed on a Stryker combat military vehicle with a machine gun aimed at the sky in Ukraine during a counteroffensive.
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