Scouts from Ukraine’s 60th Mechanized Brigade still search buildings on foot despite Russian drone monitoring, according to a Kyiv Independent report published Nov. 3, underscoring the limits of aerial surveillance in clearing positions.
The report describes two-person teams checking houses, treelines and deep basements that drones cannot fully assess. Psycho, one of the scouts, said clearing one house took about 20 minutes; Russian FPV drones could keep the pair under cover for hours. “There is no time to think,” he said. Drone attacks may damage a position, the outlet reported, but scouts still have to check whether anyone remains in underground spaces.
Hootor, the company commander, said reconnaissance had once meant waiting near Russian positions to gather information. The team’s work now includes countering infiltrators and clearing locations, a shift the report linked to the growing prominence of FPV drones from 2023. He estimated that one in 10 Russian infiltration attempts succeeds.
A 2025 analysis by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) said expanding sensor coverage, especially from drones, has narrowed the scope for battlefield surprise.
The Kyiv Independent reported that scout Zhora was believed killed in an incident that likely involved an FPV strike on a house; he remained listed as missing pending DNA confirmation. The outlet said another soldier suffered a permanent eye injury. Red, a 24-year-old scout, told the outlet, “This is my job.” The report said he focuses on the work and regards survival as a bonus.
Separately, Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps said four stages of Operation Vivaldi had restored Ukrainian control over 16 settlements and 277 square kilometers (107 square miles) by Oct. 14. An earlier update from the presidential office said Ukraine had regained 176 square kilometers after three stages as of Sept. 30.
