They Don't Live Long: Russians Lure Locals to Shoot Down Ukrainian Drones in Melitopol

The enemy is offering local residents in the occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia region to join mobile fire groups. This cooperation usually ends tragically.

A correspondent from Zaporizhzhia told the 24 Channel. According to him, just recently the gauleiter of the occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia region, Yevhen Balytskyi, personally swore to dictator Putin that the route from Mariupol to Melitopol had been secured from Ukrainian drones. Yet new videos of damaged trucks keep appearing.

How do the Russians deceive the local population?

According to the correspondent, in Melitopol they say the collaborators are calling on locals to join mobile fire groups. People are promised a calm and safe service, plus extra money for every drone shot down. But it all ends in a quite obvious way.

Mobile fire groups are a lawful target for our drones. There have already been multiple videos showing our forces striking those trucks with machine guns,

the correspondent noted.

What is the situation in the occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia region: watch the video on the 24 Channel

This kind of cooperation with the occupiers usually ends tragically. Either they die from drone strikes, or they are transferred directly to the Russian army.

It was already reported among Melitopol residents that three men from the street were tempted by that pay. They joined the mobile fire groups. Two have already died, and the third has been sent to the front,

the correspondent said.

In addition, on the night of 10 October Russia launched 5 KABs at residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia. Currently 12 people are known to have been killed, including three children. Another 14 people were wounded. There may still be people under the rubble.