Russians frequently alter the directions from which they launch "Shaheds," attempting to compel Ukrainian air defense forces to spread their resources and vulnerable missile systems.
This was stated by aviation expert and leading researcher at the State Aviation Museum, Valery Romanenko, during a broadcast on "Radio NV."
He explained that the flight paths of the drones are programmed in such a way that these devices can approach cities from any angle. For instance, drones can attack Kyiv from the Zhytomyr region. Ukrainian air defense forces now need to cover targets from all sides, rather than just from the directions where attacks were previously most likely.
"The range of a medium-range air defense system is up to 40 kilometers. To protect a large city, two such systems are needed. Therefore, the Russians are meticulously searching for locations where the 'Shaheds' can penetrate," Romanenko added.
Additionally, Romanenko emphasized that Ukraine must carefully manage its stock of anti-aircraft missiles, as the Russian side is accumulating resources for potential large-scale attacks. As a result, Ukrainian military forces have to optimize missile expenditures for intercepting "Shaheds" and distribute air defense assets while considering new possible threats.