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What do we know about drone attacks in Russia? | What do we know about drone attacks in Russia? |
(about 1 month later) | |
Watch: Drone appears to be shot down in Moscow region on 4 July | |
Watch: Drone appears to be shot down in Moscow region on 4 July | |
Russia says Ukraine has launched a series of drone strikes on its territory in recent months, including several attacks on the country's capital Moscow. | |
Flights were forced to be diverted from Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow after a drone attack on 4 July. | |
Russia also accused Ukraine of trying to kill President Vladimir Putin in an alleged attack on his residence in the Kremlin on 3 May. | |
Ukraine denies carrying out the attacks. | |
Tracking reported drone attacks | |
According to Russian media reports monitored by BBC Verify, there have been more than 120 suspected drone attacks this year in Russia and Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine. | |
These have mostly been in the Bryansk and Belgorod regions in Russia near the north-eastern border with Ukraine, as well as in Russian-annexed Crimea. | |
There have also been a series of drone attacks in the Moscow region in recent weeks, including a wave of strikes on 30 May which damaged several buildings. Ukraine has denied carrying out these strikes. | |
Watch: Footage appears to show drone flying in the south west of Moscow | Watch: Footage appears to show drone flying in the south west of Moscow |
Watch: Footage appears to show drone flying in the south west of Moscow | Watch: Footage appears to show drone flying in the south west of Moscow |
On 4 July, Russia said five drones were used in an attack which targeted locations in the wider region around the capital. | |
Oil facilities, airfields and energy infrastructure have all been targeted. | |
We have identified at least nine reported drone attacks on oil depots. One of these was in Sevastopol, a major city in Crimea, which was hit on 29 April, destroying several of its oil tanks. | |
On 31 May, an oil refinery was set ablaze in Krasnodar Territory in southern Russia, about 200km (124 miles) from the Crimean border. The regional governor said it was probably caused by a drone. | On 31 May, an oil refinery was set ablaze in Krasnodar Territory in southern Russia, about 200km (124 miles) from the Crimean border. The regional governor said it was probably caused by a drone. |
Layla Guest, an analyst at Sibylline security consultancy, says: "Ukrainian forces will highly likely prioritise targeting oil refineries, as well as railway infrastructure and wider Russian logistics, to cause maximum disruption as part of their strategy ahead of the impending counter-offensive." | |
In February, a drone crashed about 100 km (62 miles) from Moscow, in what the local governor said was an attempt to target civilian infrastructure. | In February, a drone crashed about 100 km (62 miles) from Moscow, in what the local governor said was an attempt to target civilian infrastructure. |
A picture of the wreckage appeared to be consistent with a UJ-22 - a type of drone manufactured by Ukraine. | A picture of the wreckage appeared to be consistent with a UJ-22 - a type of drone manufactured by Ukraine. |
It has a range of 800km (497 miles) in autonomous flight. Its range under directly-controlled flight is much shorter. | It has a range of 800km (497 miles) in autonomous flight. Its range under directly-controlled flight is much shorter. |
An image of what appears to show a Ukrainian manufactured UJ-22 drone | |
Another suspected drone attack injured at least 10 Russian soldiers at a military training ground in the Voronezh Region on 10 May, according to local media reports. | |
And in December last year, a drone attack hit an airbase 600km (372 miles) north-east of the Ukrainian border, leaving three people dead, according to the Russian military. | |
How far can Ukraine's drones fly? | How far can Ukraine's drones fly? |
Drones have been deployed by both sides in the conflict, with Russia using Iranian-made drones on targets in Ukraine. | Drones have been deployed by both sides in the conflict, with Russia using Iranian-made drones on targets in Ukraine. |
Ukraine says it is rapidly increasing its production of drones as demand grows on the front line. | Ukraine says it is rapidly increasing its production of drones as demand grows on the front line. |
In terms of range, experts say drones launched from Ukraine could reach deep into Russian territory, and as far as Moscow, which is about 450km (280 miles) from the border. | In terms of range, experts say drones launched from Ukraine could reach deep into Russian territory, and as far as Moscow, which is about 450km (280 miles) from the border. |
"Although Ukraine has not confirmed that its armed forces carried out the attacks [on Moscow], I think that the pre-emptive raids we have seen last year prove that Ukraine has the capability to launch long range attacks of that kind from within Ukrainian territory," says David Cenciotti, editor of the Aviationist blog. | "Although Ukraine has not confirmed that its armed forces carried out the attacks [on Moscow], I think that the pre-emptive raids we have seen last year prove that Ukraine has the capability to launch long range attacks of that kind from within Ukrainian territory," says David Cenciotti, editor of the Aviationist blog. |
Drone specialist Steve Wright also said it was possible that a drone could hit the Kremlin having been launched from within Ukraine. | Drone specialist Steve Wright also said it was possible that a drone could hit the Kremlin having been launched from within Ukraine. |
But he added: "My guess is that the drone was launched from far closer in than that, as this would avoid it having to run the gauntlet of much of Moscow's defences." | But he added: "My guess is that the drone was launched from far closer in than that, as this would avoid it having to run the gauntlet of much of Moscow's defences." |
Ukraine's Minister for Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov recently boasted of a Ukrainian drone called the R18 that "can fly from Kyiv to Moscow and back". | Ukraine's Minister for Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov recently boasted of a Ukrainian drone called the R18 that "can fly from Kyiv to Moscow and back". |
But he denied that he was calling for drone strikes on Moscow. | But he denied that he was calling for drone strikes on Moscow. |
Mr Cenciotti says: "Ukraine has made extensive use of several drones, with the Bayraktar TB2 drone emerging as the real star of the air war for Ukraine, inflicting heavy losses on Russian forces, some of those caught on tape and circulated online." | Mr Cenciotti says: "Ukraine has made extensive use of several drones, with the Bayraktar TB2 drone emerging as the real star of the air war for Ukraine, inflicting heavy losses on Russian forces, some of those caught on tape and circulated online." |
Turkey has sold Bayraktar TB2 armed drones to Ukraine in recent months, while the Turkish manufacturer of the drones has donated some to crowd-funding operations in support of Ukraine. | Turkey has sold Bayraktar TB2 armed drones to Ukraine in recent months, while the Turkish manufacturer of the drones has donated some to crowd-funding operations in support of Ukraine. |
Additional reporting by Tural Ahmedzade, Joshua Cheetham, Thomas Spencer, Shayan Sardarizadeh, Paul Brown and Adam Robinson | Additional reporting by Tural Ahmedzade, Joshua Cheetham, Thomas Spencer, Shayan Sardarizadeh, Paul Brown and Adam Robinson |
Read more about BBC Verify: Explaining the 'how' - the launch of BBC Verify | Read more about BBC Verify: Explaining the 'how' - the launch of BBC Verify |
Related Topics | Related Topics |
Russia-Ukraine war | Russia-Ukraine war |
Russia | Russia |
Drones | Drones |
Vladimir Putin | Vladimir Putin |