Ukrainian drones target Moscow, other Russian regions hit

Russian air defence systems shot down at least seven Ukrainian drones heading toward Moscow overnight from Monday to Tuesday. Simultaneously, other regions of Russia were also attacked, reports Reuters, citing local authorities. Ukrainians have at least a few drone models in their arsenal capable of such attacks. Here's a reminder of what those solutions are.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced on Telegram that the drones were downed in the Lyubertsy and Ramenskoye districts in the Moscow region and in Podolsk, about 39 kilometres from the Kremlin. Independent Russian channels SHOT and Baza on Telegram, closely linked to Russian security services, reported that air traffic was suspended at Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports.

Local authorities cited by Reuters also reported attacks on other regions of Russia. The governor of the Bryansk region, located in the southwest of the country near the border with Ukraine, said on Telegram that 59 drones were shot down. He added that no damages or casualties were recorded. In the Tula region, fragments of a downed drone fell on fuel depots and energy systems. According to local authorities, no casualties or significant damage were recorded there. Lipetsk was also attacked.

Reuters notes that Russian authorities often do not provide full information on losses caused by Ukrainian attacks, making the data difficult to verify.

Kyiv claims that attacks on Russian military, transport, and energy infrastructure are a response to systematic Russian attacks on Ukraine, which started with the invasion in 2022. Ukrainians use, among other things, various long-range drone models for these attacks. These primarily include:

        
• Tu-141 "Strizh" drone,
• Tu-143 "Rejs" drone,
• UJ-22 "Airborne" drone,
• "Bóbr" drone,
• "Rubaka" drone.

Ukrainian drones like the Tu-141 "Strizh" can carry significant explosive loads over long distances. They can reach speeds of up to 1,000 kilometres per hour and have a range of up to 1,000 kilometres. The Tu-143 "Rejs" is a smaller, tactical drone used for reconnaissance, with a speed of 950 kilometres per hour and a range of 180 kilometres.

UJ-22 "Airborne" is a modern UAV system developed by Ukraine, characterized by exceptional precision and the capability to carry various armaments. Its controlled flight range is 100 kilometres, while its autonomous range is up to 800 kilometres. The "Bobr" drone uses advanced stealth technologies to reduce its detectability. The "Rubaka" is a versatile drone with a wide range of applications, which can be used for both combat and logistical purposes.

The first mentioned machines can reach speeds of up to 200 kilometres per hour and carry armaments weighing 75 kilograms. The second, in contrast, can carry loads of up to 15 kilograms. The "Bobr" drone's range is estimated at nearly 1,000 kilometres, while the "Rubaka's" range is approximately 500 kilometres.