Changing altitudes and tactics: Expert explains how Russia adapting strikes against Ukraine
Photo: Consequences of the attack on Kyiv on July 21 (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Russia is ramping up its strike capabilities fairly quickly. This poses certain problems for Ukraine, states military expert and former Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ihor Romanenko, in a comment to the RBC-Ukraine YouTube channel.
"Fast enough to create corresponding problems for us," he said.
According to him, there is currently an increase in the number of air strike assets — including various types of drones, among them strike drones, precision munitions, communication and reconnaissance means, decoys, as well as missiles — both cruise and ballistic.
"They are trying to modernize and improve these means and, depending on how successful they are, change the tactics of their use in order to improve and increase their operational effectiveness," Romanenko explained.
He also said that the Russian military have changed the way they use strike drones. Previously, these devices flew along a route at an altitude of up to one kilometer, and only near the target would descend, but now the situation is different.
"Now it is done the opposite way. They climb to altitudes from 1.5 to 4 kilometers. And this is exactly the order of use, the tactics," the expert said.
According to him, at such altitudes it is very difficult for Ukrainian mobile groups using anti-aircraft machine guns or cannons to detect and track drones, especially at night. This significantly complicates their destruction.
Warning from a German General
Recently, Major General Christian Freuding, head of the Ukraine Situational Center at the German Ministry of Defense, stated that Russia intends to launch up to 2,000 drones simultaneously against Ukraine. In his opinion, Russia is significantly expanding its production capacities. That is why the intensification of attacks will pose a serious challenge to the Ukrainian air defense system.
Earlier, information had already circulated in the media claiming that Russia is allegedly preparing to significantly increase drone attacks on Ukraine and would be launching thousands of drones per night. At that time, Yurii Ihnat, head of the Communications Department of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, responded.
"There is no need to scare the population too much. Of course, preparations are needed for an increase [in the number of drones], because that is the trend," he commented.
