In the context of the ongoing war, Russia is demonstrating its ability to adapt to international sanctions and use the latest technologies for combat operations. Aviation expert Anatoly Khrapchinsky emphasized during the telethon that Russia can purchase Starlink abroad and install it on “Shahed” strike drones. This indicates Moscow’s global goal – to scale up the production of drones, which, according to Putin, should exacerbate the situation in Ukraine.
Threat from “Shahed”
“Shahed” is not only a means of attack, but is also used for reconnaissance. They help the occupiers find vulnerabilities in the Ukrainian defense for further attacks. Khrapchinsky noted that Ukraine has already taken measures to destroy a significant number of Russian radars, which has complicated their ability to obtain information.
But the Russians continue to adapt, using reconnaissance drones that penetrate deep into Ukrainian territory, a process that the expert believes is part of a strategy to gather data to plan future attacks using cruise missiles.
Challenges for Ukraine
The main task for Ukraine remains the search for effective means of countering strike UAVs. According to Khrapchinsky, Ukraine needs to scale its capabilities for automatic detection and destruction of such air threats. One of the promising solutions could be the Skynex system from Rheinmetall, which provides a comprehensive approach to air defense.
In addition, Ukrainian engineers are already developing technologies that allow reconnaissance drones to intercept anti-aircraft drones. However, it is necessary to continue working on automating the system, since in wartime, every minute can be decisive.
