Cheap but lethal Turkish drones bolster Ukraine’s defenses

By DEREK GATOPOULOS and SUZAN FRASER
Associated Press

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Despite three weeks of Russian bombardment, Ukraine has kept up a stiff defense of its cities by using Turkish-made drones to carry out attacks on the invaders with a lethal effectiveness that has surprised Western military experts. The Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles, which carry lightweight, laser-guided bombs, normally excel in low-tech conflicts, and Turkey has sold them to more than a dozen countries, including Azerbaijan, Libya, Morocco and Ethiopia. One expert says the successes came early in the conflict before the Russians were able to set up their air defenses in the battlefield. The drones also have been effective social media tools for Ukraine by shooting video of destroyed Russian armored vehicles.