Detect Ukraine's air defense and compensate for high-precision missiles: ISW explains why Russia uses Shaheds

This is reported by analysts of the Institute for the Study of War.

On the night of April 18-19, Russian forces launched 11 Shahed-131/136 drones in the south of Ukraine from the Sea of ​​Azov, 10 of which were shot down by the Ukrainian Air Defense Forces. According to representatives of the Armed Forces, the UAV strike was a deliberate attempt to find and destroy Ukrainian air defense systems.

Russian bloggers are actively discussing the importance of striking the air defense assets of the Armed Forces before any potential Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Yuriy Ihnat of the AFU Air Force, noted that since September 11, 2022, Russia has used almost all of its strategic missile reserves, and that Ukrainian forces have shot down 750 of the 850 missiles fired by Russian forces in Ukraine during this period.

He also noted that the Russian armed forces have switched to cheaper, shorter-range options, such as guided air bombs, and have removed X-55 missiles from storage for refurbishment.