New threat in the 20-kilometer zone: Russia has started massively using "Shaheds" directly on the front line
The occupying army of the Russian Federation is intensifying the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, including "Shahed" drones, at both tactical and operational levels. The enemy has started using UAVs of this type more frequently in the 20-kilometer zone from the front line.
This tactic is explained by the fact that "Shahed" drones can carry a larger payload than tactical drones. This is stated in the analysis by the Institute for the Study of War.
Serhiy Bezkrestnov, an advisor to the Minister of Defence of Ukraine on defense technologies and unmanned aerial vehicles, noted that Russian forces are increasingly using "Shahed" drones to strike targets within a range of zero to 20 kilometers from the front line.
This 20-kilometer zone is considered a tactical strike zone, where Russian and Ukrainian forces mostly use smaller tactical systems, such as FPV drones. Occupiers may use "Shahed" drones for strikes on the front line because these drones can carry a larger payload than tactical UAVs, allowing Russian forces to damage or destroy more fortified structures.
ISW analysts continue to assess that Russian troops are intensifying their campaign of using such drones in close proximity to the rear.
05 March 2026 г., 07:34
