SIMFEROPOL, February 3. /TASS/. Ukraine’s intensified UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) attacks on Russian regions suggest a shortage of personnel and heavy weapons in the Ukrainian army, Mikhail Filippov, founder and head of the all-Russian Archangel project of training drone operators said on Monday.
Last night, Russia’s air defenses intercepted and destroyed 70 Ukrainian UAVs over various Russian regions. On the night of January 20, some Russian regions came under a massive Ukrainian UAV attack, with air defenses downing more than 100 enemy drones.
"Due to failures on the battlefield, the Ukrainian military makes emphasis on short-and long-range UAVs of all types. It has established a new military branch, a tactic of use and financing. They have involved the entire population in assembling drones to make up for the shortage of both heavy armaments and human resources," the expert said in a talk with TASS.
In particular, the Ukrainian military has significantly stepped up the production of long-range UAVs and the training of their operators as it experiences problems with its own aircraft and their availability in sufficient numbers, he pointed out.
The Archangel project has been led by a group of enthusiasts since 2022. Its centers are located in various Russian cities and it is basically coordinated from Moscow, Crimea and the Zaporozhye Region.