What tactics do the occupiers employ for drone usage in Ukraine: an expert explains

The Russian occupiers used 249 Shahed-131/136 kamikaze drones in the past three weeks of the current month. Ukrainian forces shot down 242 of them. Also, the Russian army attacked our territory with 128 Iranian drones in just the past week.

Oleksandr Kovalenko, a military-political analyst of the "Information Resistance" group, wrote about this on his social media page.

According to him, the increase in the number of drones, attacking Ukraine, indicates that Russia has resumed supplying Iranian drones and spare parts for them. 

"Obviously, in the near future, the intensity of using Shahed-131/136 drones will return to the average levels of systematic use for terrorizing the rear of Ukraine. On the other hand, the extremely high interception rate of kamikaze drones, which stands at 97%, is very noteworthy," Oleksandr Kovalenko said.

Additionally, the occupiers have increasingly started using FPV drones in May. While the average number previously ranged from 150 to 200 units, then this month peak surges up to more than 350 units. It was recorded on May 2.

"And over 550 on May 3 alone. In turn, during the third week, the Russian occupying forces tried to maintain the number of FPV drone raids at an average of 250 per day, which they failed to achieve. It is worth noting that, overall, the average usage of FPV drones by the Russian is indeed approaching 200-250 per day, with the total number used over the three weeks of May approaching 4,500," - the expert noted.

A slight increase in the usage of the "Lancet" was also observed. The average daily usage is nearing 10 units per day, and on May 3, up to 20 "Lancets" were used.

"On the other hand, there were days when the "Lancet" UAVs were used in numbers as low as just a few units per day. As a result, one can clearly trace the dependence of Shahed-131/136 usage on the supply of contraband parts and finished products from Iran, which have evidently resumed. The Russian occupying forces attempts to increase the use of FPV drones, but their inability to turn peak figures into a stable, systematic practice, continue. The "Lancet" UAVs are clearly trying to outperform, but for now, their efforts are hindered by the lack of necessary components and technological processes," Kovalenko added.

Read also:

• "Highly militarized": it has become known how many military facilities of the Russian occupiers are in Crimea 

• Russia's offensive: the spokesman for the "Khortytsia" Operational-Strategic Group of Troops informed about the situation in Kharkiv region

• Attacks on Kharkiv: the number of victims increased, what was destroyed (photos)

• How many aircraft does Ukraine need to hold the front: a military pilot's surprising answer