Ukraine’s air defense will probably come under even further pressure: Russia has announced the construction of drones that will serve as a distraction.
Russia has apparently developed a cheap version of Iran’s kamikaze drones. The Russian state news agency Tass announced on Telegram that it was working on a model called “Yastreb” (Falcon). This has a range of 350 kilometers. The development company Stratim is currently carrying out test flights. A prototype should be ready by the middle of the year.
The special thing about the Falken drones: They are not supposed to fall on houses and troops with large explosive charges. Rather, they are intended as a distraction. The aim is to mislead and overload the Ukrainian air defense system. Tass speaks of pseudo cruise missiles that carry around 16 kilograms of explosives.
Tass also showed a video in which Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu personally inspected the production of new weapons. He insisted on extending the original range from 200 kilometers to 300 kilometers. An employee of Raduga, a state-owned defense company, promised the minister to reduce costs.
After the drones come the missiles
The Russian tactic of distraction is not new, but it is increasingly creating challenges for Ukraine. A wave of attacks is often preceded by a swarm of kamikaze drones. The air defense systems are then aimed at these. During the wave of attacks on January 8th, eight drones were repelled. However, some rockets and cruise missiles still hit the east and south of Ukraine.
Russia is now also using the newer Type 238 Shahed drones. Corresponding pieces of rubble were found in Ukraine, pictures circulated on Telegram and on Platform X (formerly Twitter).
Russia has reportedly had a new drone with autonomous targeting in its arsenal since the end of last year. The drone, called Izdeliye-53, is produced by the Kalashnikov concern and, according to information from the US think tank Institutes for the Study of War (ISW), is used in Ukraine. This was also probably intended as a diversion, as it had a comparatively small warhead weighing around five kilograms.
