Military: Russia uses drones to identify air defenses for ballistic missile strikes

The Russian military is using drones like the Shaheds to distract and identify Ukraine's air defense systems, military spokesperson Natalia Humeniuk said on television on May 26.

Subsequently, Russia tries to target them with ballistic missiles, according to Humeniuk, head of the press center of the Southern Operational Command.

“(Russians) try to attack in waves precisely to see where the defenses are and where to hit next,” Humeniuk said.

When the air defenses reveal themselves by attacking expendable, cheaper drones, Russia will then try to use more valuable ballistic missiles to destroy them.

On May 22, the Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said that at the moment, Ukraine’s air defenses lack sufficient tools to counter ballistic missiles.

Advanced systems like Patriot are too few to cover the entire territory of the country.

In its latest massive attack against Ukraine, Russia launched 17 different types of missiles and 31 drone strikes, Ukraine's Air Force reported on May 26.

Russia’s Kinzhal missile is not hypersonic. Nor is it invincible

When the Kremlin says something, it should always be taken with a grain of salt. When it says something about its military prowess, one should take the claim with an entire salt mine. For years, Russia’s Kinzhal missile was portrayed by the Kremlin’s propaganda machine as an invincible,

The Kyiv IndependentIllia Ponomarenko