Attack on Kaspiysk: Russia must understand that not only ships could be targeted, expert
Photo: An expert commented on the drone attack on Russian Kaspiysk (Getty Images)
In light of the strike on Kaspiysk, Russia needs to understand the capabilities of Ukrainian drones. Drones can target not only ships but airborne targets as well, says military expert and retired Ukrainian Armed Forces Major Oleksii Hetman in a comment to RBC-Ukraine.
"This indicates that we have drones capable of reaching that distance. We've known this before; they have already reached targets. Now the enemy should understand that there isn't a single city in Russia that we can't reach," the expert said.
He added that, while Ukraine can currently reach deep targets within Russia with drones, these drones cannot carry large amounts of explosives. This is important for causing significant destruction.
Hetman recalled that the Caspian Sea is a launch site for missiles from Tu-95MS aircraft. Therefore, the Russians should understand the potential threat.
"I think the Russians are starting to realize that drones can attack not only ships but potentially airborne targets as well. Our drones are already attacking Russian drones. And I think if a drone is controlled externally rather than by an internal inertial program, it can potentially be guided to hit a bomber. This is an assumption," the expert stated.
He emphasized that he was not asserting the existence of such technology but did not rule out that if drones can reach and strike targets on water or land, they might also hit airborne targets.
"It may not be as powerful a means of air defense as our Patriot or other complexes we use, but it would be desirable to assume so," Hetman added.
Strike on Kaspiysk
For the first time, drones from the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense attacked an enemy flotilla in the Caspian Sea. This flotilla had participated in shelling Ukraine, and the 177th Naval Infantry Regiment was involved in combat in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
The distance from the target in the city of Kaspiysk (Republic of Dagestan, Russia) to Ukraine's border was approximately 1,500 kilometers.
According to RBC-Ukraine sources, missile ships Tatarstan and Dagestan, as well as small missile ships of Project 21631, may have been damaged.
