Something is wrong with Russians. Is that a new tactic?
9:50 AM EDT, October 25, 2023
"The Russian Federation has reduced the intensity of Shahed drone strikes. They are likely gathering supplies and checking air defense systems" - we read on the DefenseExpress portal, which highlights a significant decrease in the number of kamikaze drone attacks by the Russians.
DefenseExpress explains that in September, the Russians used a record number of Shaheds to storm Ukrainian locations. At that time, it was over 500 units. In the following month, until October 24, it was however "only" 250 drones.
At the same time, a report from the Ukrainian Armed Forces is quoted, which states that on the night of October 23 to 24 Eastern Time, the Ukrainians eliminated six of these Iranian machines used by the Russians, while at the beginning of the month, it was even over 20 units shot down in one night.
Between October 1 and October 12, the Russian Federation army attacked Ukraine with 199 drones. In the following days, from October 13 to October 24, there were four times fewer machines with 49 examples. DefenseExpress notes that this Russian action may be linked to a plan to accumulate a larger quantity of Shaheds, in order to carry out a large-scale attack in the future.
Suspicions are also being directed towards checking the effectiveness of the air defense by the Russians. Their army, by limiting attacks, may be checking the placement of key systems defending against air attacks.
Shahed drones in the equipment of the Russian army
The Shahed-136 drones produced in Iran are circulating ammunition, whose attacks are highly effective, especially when firing in so-called swarms. These types of unmanned aircraft have been used on the front lines for some time, but the full specifications of the machines are still unknown.
It is therefore estimated that the actual range of Shaded is around 621 miles, although some sources say even up to 1,553 miles. The drone measures about 11.48 feet in height with a wingspan of approximately 8.2 feet. The Limbach L550E power unit that generates an output of about 50 HP is responsible for accelerating the structure to a top speed of 115 miles per hour, while the warhead with a weight of around 88 pounds is responsible for a successful strike on the target.
