Read NV on Google
Russian Shahed in the sky over Ukraine moments before being shot down (Photo: In Factum / Telegram)
Russia is increasingly using jet-powered Shahed drones to attack Ukrainian rear cities, reflecting a tactical shift predicted a year ago, Ukrainian Defense Ministry adviser Serhii Beskrestnov (Flash) said on July 6.
"As soon as we began intercepting 92% to 96% of gasoline-powered Shahed drones during attacks on Ukraine's deep rear areas, their use became ineffective. The enemy is therefore increasingly using jet-powered Shahed drones for long-range strikes. Their numbers are growing, while gasoline-powered Shaheds continue to be widely used against border regions and nearby cities," Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukraine's defense minister, said.
He added that about 200 of those drones attack gas stations, warehouses, transport infrastructure and energy facilities in border areas every day.
Overall, Beskrestnov said the total number of Shahed drones Russia is using against Ukraine has declined. In his assessment, Russia is shifting part of its production toward the serial manufacture of jet-powered Shahed drones.
He also said Russia is moving away from mass drone attacks toward more selective strikes.
"They identify high-value targets, conduct multi-stage reconnaissance, study our defensive systems — including electronic warfare, radar and air defense — probe corridors that bypass interceptors, and plan routes using different altitudes and speeds," Beskrestnov said.
According to him, Russian forces are also deploying the Seeker variant of the Shahed drone, which is equipped with an automatic target acquisition system.
On July 1, Beskrestnov, who is widely known by the call sign "Flash," said Russian forces had recently begun discussing a modified Geran Seeker drone, which they describe as a Shahed variant designed to search for and destroy targets.
He said the drone is equipped with multiple cameras operating in different modes and mesh-network modems that allow the operator to control it.
According to Beskrestnov, the Seeker variant can automatically detect, lock onto and guide itself to a target.
In its July 2 report, the Institute for the Study of War said Russia's adaptation of its aerial strike capabilities, including the use of jet-powered Shahed drones that are more difficult for Ukrainian air defenses to intercept, is increasing the scale of damage inflicted on Ukraine's civilian population.
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
