Drone Airstrikes Hit Russian Mainland Regions in Succession
Ukrainian Defense Firms Develop Long-Range Drones
A long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) with a range of 1000 km developed by the Ukrainian defense company Ukroboronprom. [Image source= Ukroboronprom]
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Ukraine has begun striking deep into Russian territory hundreds of kilometers away from the front lines using domestically developed long-range unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). With Ukraine now having means to retaliate against Russia's unilateral airstrikes, the conflict between the two sides is expected to intensify further.
Russia, which has been conducting airstrikes across Ukraine using ballistic missiles and Iranian-made drones, is expected to face greater difficulties as its mainland sustains significant damage. Some experts express concerns that if drone attacks on the mainland by both sides continue, the war could escalate or become more prolonged.
Ukrainian Drones Attack Russian Bases Hundreds of Kilometers from Border Areas
On the 6th (local time), a fire broke out at a fuel tank at an airfield in the Kursk region of Russia, near the border with Ukraine. The Russian military stated that the fuel tank was attacked by drones. Kursk = TASS·Yonhap News Photo by Yonhap News
According to Russia's TASS news agency on the 6th (local time), a drone attack targeted an airfield in the Kursk region of Russia, near the Ukrainian border, causing a fire in a fuel tank. This marks the third incident following drone strikes on two Russian military airfields the previous day.
Roman Starovoit, governor of Russia's Kursk region, posted on his social media, "A drone attack ignited a fuel storage tank at the Kursk airfield," adding, "There were no casualties, and efforts are underway to extinguish the fire." However, he did not specify who was behind the drone attack.
Nevertheless, since drone strikes occurred simultaneously in Russia's Ryazan and Saratov regions the previous day, this recent attack is also presumed to be the work of Ukraine. Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that Ukrainian forces used Soviet-made drones to launch airstrikes on two airfields in Ryazan and Saratov, resulting in three soldiers killed and four wounded.
Until now, Ukraine had been on the receiving end of Russia's ballistic missile and Iranian drone attacks, but recent development and production of long-range drones by Ukrainian defense firms mark the beginning of a full-fledged counterattack.
Regarding drone strikes targeting Russian territory, Ukraine has not officially acknowledged responsibility but has indirectly hinted at the possibility of its drones being involved. Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the Ukrainian presidential office, tweeted, "The Earth is round," adding, "If something is launched into another country's airspace, unidentified objects will soon return to the launch site."
Ukrainian Defense Firms Develop Long-Range Drones... 'Revenge' Inscribed on Drone Surfaces
The surface of the long-range drone developed by the Ukrainian defense company Ukroboronprom is inscribed with the Russian phrase "az vozda," meaning revenge. [Image source= Ukroboronprom]
Ukrainian defense companies recently unveiled images of long-range drones that have completed development and test flights. These drones reportedly have a maximum range exceeding 1,000 km and are believed to have been used in recent strikes on Russian territory.
According to CNN, Ukroboronprom, a Ukrainian defense firm, announced at the end of last month that it had completed development and test flights of a new long-range kamikaze drone. This drone can carry a 75 kg warhead and fly up to 1,000 km. Considering that Ryazan and Saratov, which were targeted by Ukrainian drone strikes, are approximately 480 km and 720 km from Ukraine respectively, it is suggested that this new drone model was deployed.
Ukroboronprom also released photos showing the drone's surface inscribed with the Russian phrase "Az Vozdam," meaning "revenge" or "retaliation." The Ukrainian military plans to launch large-scale counterattacks against Russian forces using domestically developed kamikaze drones alongside drones supplied by the United States and Western countries.
However, concerns remain that if Ukrainian forces continue drone offensives across the entirety of Russian territory, the war could escalate further. The U.S. Institute for the Study of War (ISW) stated, "With Ukraine's confirmed long-range drone strike capability, Moscow can no longer be considered a safe zone," adding, "Internal public opinion regarding the Russian military and government operations is deteriorating, which may lead the Russian military to undertake stronger retaliatory measures."
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