Krisen-Reporter Jan Jessen berichtet
War and Crisis Podcast
Veröffentlicht am 11.11.2026 / 04:55
*This episode is made with the help of ai
In the middle of the night, in a field in the Zaporizhzhia region of southern Ukraine, soldiers prepare a Zozulia attack drone carrying 40 kilograms of explosives. The medium-range drone is set to strike a target deep inside Russian-occupied territory. As the men work under the red glow of their helmet lights, they must take care not to be spotted by Russian reconnaissance drones.
For the FUNKE podcast “Im Krisenmodus” (In Crisis Mode), war correspondent Jan Jessen accompanies the soldiers on their nighttime mission – from the preparations right through to launch. He speaks with the commander of the launch team, whose call sign is “Wahhabit”, and with Major Mykola Kolesnyk, commander of Ukraine’s 422nd drone regiment, “Air Force”.
How is Ukraine using drones to disrupt Russian supply lines? Why is drone warfare evolving into a technological arms race? And how do the soldiers protect themselves when they are increasingly becoming key targets for Russian forces?
A report from the drone war in Ukraine – and the people fighting it.
Major Mykola Kolesnyk, commander of Ukraine’s 422nd drone regiment, “Air Force”
“Wahhabit” (call sign), commander of a launch team within the regiment
Jan Jessen, Head of Politics at NRZ and war and crisis correspondent for FUNKE Media Group
01 – A Night in the Drone War
A Ukrainian launch team prepares an attack under dangerous conditions.
02 – Ukraine’s “Air Force”
How a unit of just three men grew into a drone regiment – and which unmanned systems it operates.
03 – Attacking Russia’s Supply Lines
Why Ukrainian drones target fuel trucks, ammunition depots and military supply routes.
04 – The Technological Arms Race
How Russia is responding to Ukrainian drone attacks – and why both sides are constantly developing their technology.
05 – With the Drone Unit
Jan joins the soldiers at their nighttime launch site. The men prepare their Zozulia drone and check its systems.
06 – The Risk of Being Spotted
Commander Wahhabit explains how his team monitors the airspace and protects itself from Russian reconnaissance.
07 – Launching the Zozulia
The soldiers send the attack drone into the air. Whether it reaches its target remains unknown.
Black Sea: Russian Attacks on Cargo Ships Threaten Exports
Kherson Under Drone Attacks – How a City Continues to Live Through War
Terminator Myths in Drone Warfare: Ground Robots and AI in Ukraine
Life Under Fire: Voices from Kherson
Soldiers from Ukraine’s 422nd drone regiment, “Air Force”, launch a Zozulia medium-range drone on September 27, 2026, in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine.
Photo: Reto Klar / FUNKE Foto Services
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