Russia's drones hit earlier and deeper into Ukraine - Expert gives reason
Photo: Shahed attack drone (Getty Images)
Russia may have started launching drones during the daytime because they have a surplus of UAVs. However, on the other hand, it's much easier to counter drones in daylight than at night, believes an aviation expert, Valerii Romanenko, in a comment to RBC-Ukraine.
In response to a question about why Russian drones are already flying over Bukovyna during the day, Romanenko suggested that the occupiers may now have an excess supply of drones. Since any attack drone in daylight is an easy target for air defense.
"One thing to try to spot them at night with a searchlight or laser, and quite another when you can see the drone - then even a not-so-experienced anti-aircraft gunner with a ZU-23 (anti-aircraft autocannon - Ed.) can shoot it down reliably and without wasting too much ammo," he explained.
Romanenko pointed out that long-range, heavy drones are slow and fly in a straight trajectory. Under such conditions, shooting them down during the day is not difficult, especially considering that many of Ukraine's anti-aircraft guns are equipped with ballistic computers to aid in targeting.
Background
On July 10, Russian attack drones targeted Bukovyna. Explosions were heard in the region, and authorities confirmed that air defenses were active. This kind of daytime attack is unusual for Russian forces, as they typically risk using attack drones in daylight only near frontline cities or in areas with weak defenses.
Meanwhile, on the night of July 10, Russia launched a massive aerial assault, firing 415 munitions. These included 397 Shahed attack drones and decoy drones, eight Iskander-M ballistic missiles, six Kh-101 cruise missiles, and four S-300 surface-to-air missiles.
The main target of the attack was Kyiv. Ukrainian air defense forces managed to destroy 178 targets, while another 204 drones and missiles were either diverted or neutralized by electronic warfare systems. In Kyiv, the attack caused fires and infrastructure damage; two people were killed and 22 were injured.
