Russia has begun using new cheap drones for long-range attacks on Ukraine to identify the locations of the Ukrainian Air Force's air defense systems.
A Ukrainian military intelligence officer said this in a comment to Reuters.
What new drones is Russia using
According to the publication's source, the two new types of drones that Russia has used in five attacks in recent weeks are made of materials such as foam and plywood.
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One type of drone can carry cameras and SIM cards from Ukrainian operators to send images to the Russian military.
— They determine where our mobile groups are located, machine guns are located that can destroy them. They are trying to get a complete picture of where all our air defenses are located, — said Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman Andriy Chernyak.
According to him, the new Russian drones with cameras do not carry explosives, but are very similar to regular Shahed drones and fly with them in groups.
The second new type of drone does not contain an explosive charge or has only a small charge and is used as bait, claims a Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman.
The publication notes that such drones are practically indistinguishable from others visually, so it still needs to be shot down, but then the Russian Federation can discover where Ukraine's air defense systems are located.
According to the publication, Russia is seeking to adapt its tactics and test new technologies to gain an advantage during daily missile attacks and drone strikes on peaceful Ukrainian cities.
Iranian-built Shahed attack drones, which fly toward their target and detonate on impact, have become a staple of Russian air attacks in the first year of Russia's full-scale invasion that began in February 2022.
Ukraine calls on allies to help bolster air defenses to repel increased Russian airstrikes on energy facilities.
