On 29 August 2023, an attack on multiple Ukrainian drones targeted the Pskov airport, allegedly damaging four Il-76 transport airplanes. This was a highly surprising attack, because Pskov airport is very far away from the Ukrainian border. The quickest way for Ukrainian drones to reach it would span Belarus’ airspace, which would also be quite challenging.
Il-76 transport aircraft landing in Pskov airport in Russia. Image credit: Igor Dvurekov via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Following these attacks, Russian propaganda channels have speculated that the attack against Pskov airport might have been launched from the territory of Latvia or Estonia. If proven, this would be a huge step in escalation as these Baltic countries are NATO members.
However, later Ukrainian sources revealed that the attack was launched from the territory of Russia by agents who managed to infiltrate and, apparently, find an appropriate launch site.
The Ilyushin Il-76 is probably the most important transport aircraft in the Russian fleet. They do have a lot of them, but such deep attacks can create a certain aura of danger and make Russia hide its air assets further away from the Ukrainian border. Especially because Pskov airport was considered to be safe from attacks from Ukrainian territory, because it is over 700 km from the Ukrainian border.
However, not that might never be true again, because the defenders of Ukraine say they have a drone that can fly 700 kilometres and carry 50 kilograms of explosives.
This new drone, according to the Ukrainian drone manufacturing company, can fly to the Russian city of Pskov from Ukrainian territory. It is launched using a special device (we can guess it is a pneumatic cannon or a catapult-like contraption). During the last stage of the flight, when the drone is already diving towards its intended target, it will be almost impossible to shoot it down. Again, according to the manufacturer of this unmanned aircraft.
The company claims that this drone is many times better than the Iranian Shahed – a suicide drone that Russia uses in large numbers to attack various targets in Ukraine, including the energy infrastructure. The company says that the new Ukrainian drone is “technologically more advanced in all respects. First of all, because we have access to global technologies, which we use very actively.”
Ukraine was always very active in the aviation industry. However, its growing presence in the unmanned aircraft space is a direct result of the Russian military invasion. It is hard to believe, but Ukraine is now making more military-grade drones than ever before. And a lot of them are brand new models.
Written by Povilas M.
Source: Charter97.org
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