Ukrainian drone operators are improving their skills in intercepting Russian long-range drones in the air, reducing the burden on short- and medium-range air defense operations.
This is reported by analysts at the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
How Ukrainians intercept Russian drones
Now watching
Footage from June 1 shows Ukrainians using first-person view (FPV) drones to engage a Russian Zala tactical reconnaissance drone and an Orlan-10 medium-range reconnaissance drone in flight in the Velikaya Novoselka area.
On June 29, the Kharkov group of troops published footage showing a Ukrainian FPV drone intercepting a Russian Lancet UAV in the air in the Kharkov direction.
ISW analysts note that both Ukrainian and Russian forces are improving their tactical skills in the use of FPV drones. But ISW has not yet been able to find evidence that occupying Russian forces can also intercept Ukrainian drones with drones in the air.
ISW believes that the use of cheap and widely available drones by Ukrainians to intercept more expensive Russian reconnaissance drones will allow the Armed Forces of Ukraine to worsen the condition of Russian reconnaissance fire and reconnaissance-strike complexes, and preserve more valuable and scarce small and medium air defense interceptors range for more serious enemy air targets.
Analysts note that now both the Ukrainian army and the Russian army are involved in a technological race. And Ukraine’s ability to introduce technological innovation allows it to compensate for Russia’s current material advantages.
