Russia launches Shaheds from new location in Crimea to confuse Ukrainian air defence – UK intelligence
Russia has begun launching its Shahed drones from a new launch site near Balaklava in occupied Crimea to protect its forces and make it more difficult for Ukrainian air defence to shoot down the drones, UK intelligence reports.
Source: UK Defence Intelligence review on Twitter (X) on 13 December, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Analysts believe that Russia is likely to use additional launch sites in response to Ukrainian drone attacks to force Kyiv to adapt to the new transit corridors of these systems.
The intelligence report brought up the fact that on 5 December, Russian officials said they had intercepted 41 attacks by Ukrainian UAVs on Russian military infrastructure in Crimea, including near Cape Chauda, which Russia has been using since early September 2023.
It is noted that Balaklava became the fifth confirmed location of Russian drone launches against Ukraine, along with Cape Chauda and the Russian cities of Yeysk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Kursk.
Background:
- On the night of 13 December, the Russians attacked Ukraine with 10 Shahed drones launched from a district of the city of Balaklava (occupied Crimea). Almost all the Shahed drones were downed in Odesa Oblast, in the area of responsibility of Operational Command Pivden (South).
- Earlier, UK Defence Intelligence analysed the problems that Russian forces face when fighting in Ukraine at night, due to a shortage of night vision devices and special cameras for drones.
- Earlier, UK intelligence reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had mounted successful local counterattacks during the fighting near the town of Avdiivka (Donetsk Oblast).
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