The drone operators who halted Russian convoy headed for Kyiv

Special IT force of 30 soldiers on quad bikes is vital part of Ukraine's defence, but forced to crowdfund for supplies

One week into its invasion of Ukraine, Russia massed a 40-mile mechanised column in order to mount an overwhelming attack on Kyiv from the north.

But the convoy of armoured vehicles and supply trucks ground to a halt within days, and the offensive failed, in significant part because of a series of night ambushes carried out by a team of 30 Ukrainian special forces and drone operators on quad bikes, according to a Ukrainian commander.