Russia using small waves of Iranian Shahed attack drones to probe Ukrainian air defenses, air force says
It is likely Russia recently launched limited kamikaze drone strikes across Ukraine to gauge the effectiveness of air defenses in different regions, Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force Command, said on Oct. 27.
He noted the enemy might have other purposes for launching the small-scale attacks, but Russia is likely aiming to determine where UAVs are most and least vulnerable to being shot down.
"Whatever the goal is — and it may vary — the Shahed, as we know, is a long-range (weapon)," the air force spokesman said on Ukrainian national television.
“I mean, as a barrage munition, it is considered to be a kamikaze UAV, as a means that can hit accurately, because it has GPS navigation that allows it to follow a route laid out by the operator.”
The small waves of UAVs launched by the enemy are maneuvering around Ukraine and determining where they are more and less likely to be shot down, Ihnat said.
"This allows the enemy to draw certain conclusions about the forces and means in a particular region and take this information into account when planning future attacks," he said.
The aggressor sends even as many as five or six UAVs to targeted facilities in order to attempt to destroy them. The Shahed drones usually do not fly together in a group, but disperse to attack from different directions.
"This helps the enemy to collect important information," Ihnat said.
Overnight on Oct. 26-27, Russian occupation forces attacked southern Ukraine with six Shahed suicide UAVs. Ukrainian air defense forces destroyed five of them, but an infrastructure facility was hit.
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