This article is not intended to cause panic. Its purpose is to build awareness, spread knowledge, and encourage responsibility so that everyone knows how to act in the face of a potential threat. Knowledge is one of the most important elements of civil defense.
Attacks with drones like the Shahed are an example of asymmetrical warfare, a strategy in which a weaker opponent uses cheap, mass-produced means to exhaust a stronger army’s more expensive resources. A drone costs about 20,000 USD, while the cost of a missile to destroy it, for example from a Patriot system, can be as much as 4 million USD. It’s a tactic of economic attrition, like using a Kalashnikov to kill a fly.
Ukrainians call these drones “flying mopeds” or “lawnmowers” due to their loud, characteristic sound. The noise is not a disadvantage—it’s a feature that allows for low-cost mass production. Swarm attacks, in which anywhere from 10 to 1,000 drones can participate, are designed to overload defense systems and create chaos.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. The drone’s sound is a signal for immediate action. The characteristic buzzing is like an air raid siren. There’s no time to hesitate. Act immediately.
2. Put your phone away. Your health and life are more important than any recording. Drones can detect telecommunication signals. If several people are recording in one spot, it might be interpreted as a target, increasing the risk of an attack. Drones are “electronic” terrorists that not only destroy infrastructure but also kill people.
3. Move away from windows. Glass shatters with immense force, creating sharp shards. Windows pose the greatest danger.
4. Find shelter. The safest places are windowless rooms, separated from the exterior wall by at least two thick, load-bearing walls (definitely not drywall). Ideal locations are a corridor or a bathroom. Lie down on the floor and cover your head with your hands.
5. If you’re outdoors, drop to the ground. Seek shelter behind a concrete structure or in a depression in the terrain. Drop to the ground and do not move. Remember, movement and light attract attention.
6. Protect your ears and lungs. When you anticipate an explosion, cover your ears with your hands and open your mouth. This helps to equalize pressure and protects your eardrums and internal organs from the blast wave.
7. Remain in hiding after the explosion. The silence after the first blast is a trap. Wait at least 10 minutes in a secure location, as a second strike is a common tactic.
Conclusion and Commentary
History teaches us that security is never a given. We should remember that in September 1939, despite alliance treaties, neither France nor Great Britain provided Poland with real military assistance, leaving it to face the invasion alone. It is a dramatic reminder of a reality where alliances and promises do not always guarantee immediate support. Therefore, it is crucial that we prepare ourselves and take responsibility for our own safety. Knowledge and readiness are the best insurance policy when the fate of a nation hangs in the balance.
