Russia continues to increase the range of its unmanned aerial vehicles, further demonstrating Ukraine's urgent need for traditional air defense systems, according to an analytical review by the Institute for the Study of War.
Analysts have drawn attention to a video released by the Russian Rubicon unit on December 29. It shows drone attacks on Ukrainian air targets deep in the rear. In particular, Russian drones attempted to hit an Mi-24 helicopter in the Poltava region, approximately 50 kilometers from the state border with Russia, as well as an An-26 transport plane at the Mykolaiv International Airport, located 60 kilometers from the occupied Kinburn Spit.
At the same time, OSINT analysts, analyzing satellite images, note that the An-26 aircraft has been parked at the airport since 2022. This indicates that the aircraft has probably already been decommissioned and was not used for its intended purpose, which reduces the military value of this particular target, but does not reduce the significance of the attack itself.
In its analysis, the Institute for the Study of War cites Ukrainian expert on electronic warfare and communications systems Sergei Beskrestnov, known as "Flash." According to him, Russian forces used "Molniya"-type drones, which were controlled not via mobile networks, but via satellite internet. This significantly complicates their suppression by electronic warfare means.
The expert also noted that to increase the flight range, the Russians could use sabotage and reconnaissance groups to launch drones from closer positions or so-called base drones, which act as signal repeaters and expand the range of strike UAVs.
Analysts emphasize that such attacks are yet another indication of the deficiency of air defense systems in Ukraine. The geographical spread of the threat and the growth of technical capabilities of Russian drones reduce the effectiveness of electronic warfare alone.
According to experts, Ukraine increasingly needs point-based air defense systems capable of physically destroying drones on approach. Without strengthening classical air defense, the protection of critical infrastructure, rear facilities, and air bases from such a large-scale and mobile threat remains vulnerable.
