Pianist Vadim: “One of them knocked out a Russian tank” • New popular movement is emerging in Ukraine
I felt desperate and despairing as the war just continued without end. What could I contribute to help our troops throw out the Russians? says 32-year-old Vadim Ivchenko, flailing his arms.
On the table in front of him are the results of his new hobby; 25 drones that are currently being completed. His wife Katia screws one of the components of what will next week be a deadly weapon in the hands of a Ukrainian frontline soldier.
– In the beginning, our enthusiasm was so great that we almost burned out. All we did after work was assemble drones, says Katia Ivchenko, who is a trained IT specialist.
– Yes, laughs Vadim. We became obsessed and we set the goal of producing 100 pieces. But there were 178 attack drones in 2024. And there will be more.
Weapon workshop on the balcony
Out on the balcony of the three-room apartment in Kiev, Vadim has set up a small workshop where he solders together the various parts he ordered from various online sites. It is a relatively cheap weapon, but a weapon that, with proper handling, can beat larger, more expensive weapon systems.
– My greatest happiness was the day last year when one of the units sent a video of one of our drones steering right into a Russian tank that was completely knocked out. It felt very emotional, says Vadim, who has not yet been called up to serve in the Ukrainian military.
– I believe in victory. We must defend our country and our freedom from the Russian occupiers. Should I be called in, I will of course do my duty at the front. But even now I feel that I am useful at home at the kitchen table without putting on the uniform.
New popular movement
Building drones at home is something of a new popular movement in Ukraine. So far, 7,000 private individuals have joined the movement, which exchanges knowledge with each other and allows specialists to test fly each newly built unmanned aerial vehicle before it is sent on to waiting units at the front in Donbas.
There, the drones are one of the most important weapons in the fight to stop the oncoming Russian invasion forces.