Russian Soldier Caught Smoking Last Cigarette Just Before Drone Bomb Drop

Ukrainian Military Drone Detected, Followed by Bombing

A Russian soldier was caught on a Ukrainian military drone smoking a cigarette one last time before dying.

On the 8th, Chosun Ilbo reported the last moments of a Russian soldier filmed and released on social media (SNS) by the Ukrainian 54th Mechanized Brigade's K-2 Battalion on the 5th (local time).

A Russian soldier detected by a Ukrainian military drone is smoking a cigarette for the last time before dying. Facebook

In the video, the K-2 Battalion attacked Russian troops hiding in a forested area. A Russian soldier is seen lying injured. It was explained that "after the occupying forces' attack failed, drone operators monitored the battlefield and eliminated soldiers hiding in the forested area."

The Russian soldier in the video made a gesture indicating he wanted to smoke toward the drone. He then took a cigarette out of his pocket, put one in his mouth, and tried to light it but seemed too nervous to do so. After several attempts, he finally managed to light one of the cigarettes. Throughout smoking, he kept his eyes fixed on the drone, remaining alert.

Afterward, he hurriedly tried to take another cigarette from the pack, but a bomb soon fell. He appeared to notice the bomb and lowered his posture, and the video ends with smoke from the explosion spreading where he had been.

The battalion stated, "The cigarette pack has the phrase 'smokers die young,' and this Russian soldier's death came much sooner than he expected," adding, "He chose to exercise his right to smoke his last cigarette."

Ukrainian recruits in training. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Recently, Russia has launched a large-scale offensive by deploying many new troops in the Ukraine war. The British daily The Guardian reported on the 4th (local time) that the territory Russia occupied last month in Ukraine was confirmed to be 1,202 km². This is twice the size of Seoul and the largest monthly gain since September 2022.

Earlier, the K-2 Battalion also released a video showing one Ukrainian soldier fighting against six Russian soldiers. The Ukrainian K-2 Battalion did not disclose the exact location of this battle, but the unit is known to be deployed in Bakhmut, Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, where fierce fighting with Russian forces is ongoing.