In a deserted shell of a building, a Ukrainian drone pilot blocks off his surroundings and focuses solely on the controller in his hands. The wall-less room gives him and his unit some cover in the moonless night.

The small screen on the soldier’s remote control, the only light source allowed, illuminates his piercing stare while his drone, miles away, is moments away from dropping a 35-pound (16kg) explosive on a Russian position.

“This moment we call ‘from Ukraine with love,’” his senior officer says.

This secretive night-time strike is being carried out by an elite unit comprising elements from the Security Service of Ukraine – commonly known as SBU – and the country’s Patrol Police.

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