There have been close to 200 drone strikes on Russian territory and Crimea so far in 2023, according to information from the BBC. Most attacks have taken place on the Crimean Peninsula, Moscow and areas near the border with Ukraine.
Although they did not cause much material damage, they are a significant source of irritation for Russia, according to Jörgen Elfving, a former lieutenant colonel specializing in Russian military intelligence, who continuously follows the development of the war in Ukraine.
– They are a pain in the ass and Russia must allocate resources to protect itself.
Keeping the opponent in the dark
The head of Ukraine’s intelligence service, Kyrylo Budanov, told The War Zone media site that a drone attack on the Pskov air base started from inside Russian territory. But Jörgen Elfving is doubtful about that task, given that several drones are said to have been used.
– I consider the risk of detection if you drive around with a load of drones in the car to be high.
Why would Ukraine claim that if it wasn’t true?
– It is a way of keeping the opponent in the dark about what happened. It creates problems for the Russian side. The scope of surveillance must be expanded with more checks of cars and people, says Jörgen Elfving and continues:
– It becomes quite tiring when it goes on for a longer period of time.