Nightly Shahed drone launches have allowed the Russians to test Ukraine’s defenses as they prepare to launch Kalibr missiles or other precision-guided weapons.
Russia could launch a massive attack from the Black Sea after launching kamikaze drones. This was announced on the air of the national telethon on March 18 by the speaker of the Joint Coordinating Press Center of the Defense Forces of the South of Ukraine Natalia Gumenyuk.
According to her, at night the number of Russian launch vehicles decreased significantly due to worsening weather and the start of a search operation at sea. At present, the ship grouping of the Russian Navy consists of 17 ships, three of which are armed with missiles, one of which is underwater, so the total salvo of Caliber can reach 20 missiles. Four large landing ships are also on duty in the Black Sea.
For now, all ships keep a safe distance, fearing Ukrainian weapons strikes. As Natalya Gumenyuk explained, the Russians are constantly hiding behind the Crimean bridge in the direction of Novorossiysk, so as not to approach the water area controlled by Ukraine.
“We cannot now talk about reducing the missile threat, since 20 Caliber missiles are high-precision weapons that can be directed at specific targets. In addition, we see and observe that the tactics of the enemy, although they are looking for a new , still has signs of tradition: as soon as they started talking about the next continuation of the Black Sea agreements, attacks by “Shaheds” began, – Natalya Gumenyuk spoke. – “The missile danger is quite high.”
She added that the Shahed kamikaze drones had probed the capabilities of Ukrainian air defense, which indicates preparations for the use of “more substantial weapons”, such as Kalibr missiles. The activity of Russian aviation, in turn, indicates the continuation of reconnaissance, in addition to aircraft, reconnaissance drones fly in the sky.
On the night of March 18, the Russian Armed Forces carried out a massive attack with Shahed drones in Ukraine. According to the Air Force, Ukrainian troops managed to destroy 11 out of 16 drones launched from the Bryansk region of the Russian Federation and the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov. According to the head of the Dnipropetrovsk OVA Serhiy Lysak, two UAVs hit an infrastructure facility in Novomoskovsk.
On March 16, Natalya Gumenyuk reported on the atypical activity of Russian ships in the Black Sea. They are trying to better hide their actions from the Ukrainians, while demonstrating a presence in international waters.
