Russia thwarts drone assault; Moscow among target zones

Russian air defense systems shot down at least seven Ukrainian drones heading towards Moscow overnight from Monday to Tuesday. Simultaneously, other regions of Russia were also attacked, reports Reuters, citing local authorities. Ukrainians have at least a few drone models in their arsenal capable of such attacks. Here's a reminder of what those solutions are.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced on Telegram that the drones were downed in the Lyubertsy and Ramenskoye districts in the Moscow region and in Podolsk, about 39 kilometres from the Kremlin. Independent Russian channels SHOT and Baza on Telegram, closely linked to Russian security services, reported that air traffic was suspended at Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports.

Local authorities cited by Reuters also reported attacks on other regions of Russia. The governor of the Bryansk region, located in the southwest of the country near the border with Ukraine, said on Telegram that 59 drones were shot down. He added that no damages or casualties were recorded. In the Tula region, fragments of a downed drone fell on fuel depots and energy systems. According to local authorities, no casualties or significant damage were recorded there. Lipetsk was also attacked.

Reuters notes that Russian authorities often do not provide full information on losses caused by Ukrainian attacks, making the data difficult to verify.

Kiyv claims that attacks on Russian military, transport, and energy infrastructure are a response to systematic Russian attacks on Ukraine, which started with the invasion in 2022. Ukrainians use, among other things, various long-range drone models for these attacks. These primarily include:

        
• Tu-141 "Strizh" drone,
• Tu-143 "Rejs" drone,
• UJ-22 "Airborne" drone,
• "Bóbr" drone,
• "Rubaka" drone.

Ukrainian drones like the Tu-141 "Strizh" can carry significant explosive loads over long distances. They can reach speeds of up to 998 km/h and have a range of up to 998 kilometers. The Tu-143 "Rejs" is a smaller, tactical drone used for reconnaissance, with a speed of 950 km/h and a range of 180 kilometers.

UJ-22 "Airborne" is a modern UAV system developed by Ukraine, characterised by exceptional precision and the capability to carry various armaments. Its controlled flight range is 100 kilometers, while its autonomous range is up to 800 kilometers. The "Bóbr" drone uses advanced stealth technologies to reduce its detectability. The "Rubaka" is a versatile drone with a wide range of applications that can be used for combat and logistical purposes.

The first-mentioned machines can reach up to 200 km/h and carry armaments weighing 75 kilograms. The second, in contrast, can carry loads of up to 15 kilograms. The "Bobr" drone's range is estimated at nearly 998 kilometers, while the "Rubaka's" range is approximately 500 kilometers.