Russia claimed that its FPV drone operators are preparing to hit retreating Ukrainian forces near Vuhledar.

Footage shows Russian drone operators working on UAVs for an operation in the eastern city of Vuhledar, where Ukrainian forces have withdrawn after having resisted repeated Russian attacks since Vladimir Putin's 2022 full-scale invasion.

The military command in Kyiv said its troops left late on Tuesday after they retreated to preserve personnel and combat equipment, adding that Russian combat units had attacked from three directions and were close to 'encircling' the city.

The Russian Ministry of Defence said: 'Operators of strike FPV drones from the Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet, part of the 'Vostok' military grouping from the Kamchatka region, hit a concentration of enemy personnel at a position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Vuhledar.

'The UAV crews provide invaluable support to the offensive actions of assault units, conducting aerial reconnaissance of targets and delivering pinpoint strikes on positions that cannot be seen from the ground.

'The drone operators try to get as close as possible to the line of contact in order to reach targets in the enemy's rear. They can see everything happening in real time and adjust the UAV's flight path if necessary.

'According to the marines, the main problem for the 'birds' is the enemy's electronic warfare systems, which interfere with the video signal and jam the frequencies used to control the drones.'

UAV operator with the call sign 'Frigate' said: 'The frequencies are constantly changing so that the enemy cannot lock onto one. We use different launch points and times. In terms of altitude, the higher, the better the signal. We test where we can pass, and if there's interference, we pull back and try to go around from the left or right.'

'Near the front line, specialists from the unmanned aviation unit of the Marine Brigade have set up a field laboratory where, almost without pausing from their combat tasks, they repair UAVs that have been damaged or gone out of order.'

One of the field laboratory specialists added: 'The rotor group breaks down, or a wire may come loose from a ground impact or during transport – we have to solder it.'

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, in what the Kremlin is still calling a 'special military operation'.

The conflict is still ongoing with public support from Europe and the United States fading and businesses reopening their ties with Russia.

Deserters have fled both countries for safer climbs in Europe and Asia.