Ukraine Drone Brief – by Olena Kryzhanivska

Ukraine’s drone strikes are becoming larger in scale, the systems are growing more sophisticated, and targets are being selected more carefully. Russia retaliates with mass strikes involving hundreds of missiles, against which Ukraine still lacks sufficient means of protection.

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Aerial Drones

• Ukraine has used long-range drones to attack roughly 20 Wildberries facilities (Russian Amazon) since mid-July. Wildberries was estimated to have lost roughly 10% of its warehouse space.

• Russians claim that Ukrainian long-range drones now pose one of the greatest threats to Russia’s deep rear. Ukraine now has several strike UAV types, including the An-196 Liutyi, UJ-26 Bober, Fire Point FP-1, Bars RS, Aeroprakt A-22 Foxbat, Morok, and Sichen.

  The key factor is Ukraine’s ability to replenish its drone stocks quickly as production capacity expands, allowing the Armed Forces to launch large numbers of drones almost daily.

• According to the Ukrainian DroneBomber OSINT channel, out of around 1,500 Ukrainian drones used to penetrate Moscow-region air defences, only one managed to get through.

• A new generation of multifunctional Russian Gerbera UAVs has begun appearing on the front line. It is larger than the original design and may also be remotely controlled. These UAVs enter the country’s airspace, fly within it for some time, and then return to enemy-controlled territory. They could operate in an electronic intelligence (ELINT) role.