After a relatively peaceful few decades in human history, we have seen the world coming back to terms with wars. Whilst it is indeed tragic, the interim progress of technology and its incorporation into warfare is fascinating nonetheless. After the Indian armed forces reported precision missile strikes on Pakistani military bases and put on its air defence systems in display earlier last month, Ukraine released footages of some remarkably spectacular drone attacks deep into Russian territory. In what is claimed as an operation planned over 18 months, over a hundred drones were apparently smuggled into Russian territory, transported by trucks to several locations close to military bases (one of them as far as 5,000km from Ukraine, deep in Siberia) and fired upon Russian bombers last Sunday. This Reuters article gives graphic detail of the operation:
“Ukraine’s main offensive threat in the war so far has been its long-range drones, which have struck targets deep inside Russia, including oil refineries, military bases and arms depots.
Yet, despite technological advances and increased production, the drones have a maximum range well short of 5,000 km and can be detected as they fly into Russian air space, meaning air defences down many of them.”
But this was until last Sunday:
“According to Ukraine’s security service, the SBU, the drones were smuggled into Russia by its operatives and concealed within the roof space of wooden sheds.
An image shared by Ukrainian authorities showed around 20 drones, each with four propellors, placed in wooden cavities below a roof.
Video footage verified by Reuters shows that the roof of at least one of the sheds had been removed to release the attack drones at the designated place and time.”
The article throws some light on the operatives involved and their modus operandi:
“The Baza news service, which has close contacts in Russian security and law enforcement, identified the main suspect as a 37-year-old Ukrainian who had moved to the Russian region of Chelyabinsk in recent years. Reuters has not been able to verify independently Baza’s account.
According to Baza, which cited unnamed sources, the Ukrainian opened a transportation business in October last year and acquired several trucks in December. It was from these vehicles’ cargo that the drones used in the attacks were launched, the news service said.
Baza said the drivers of four trucks, who apparently did not know about the nature of their cargoes, were told to drive to different destinations across Russia carrying wooden sheds.
When the trucks were close to their destinations, the drivers were given instructions over the phone where to stop. In one case, Baza reported, the drones began to fly out of the sheds the moment the truck was parked, and in another while the truck was still moving.
…Based on images posted on social media, Reuters has established that the truck used in the attack on the Belaya base was parked along the P-255 highway at the time, some 7 km from the airfield.
A Ukrainian source with knowledge of the matter said the drones were piloted remotely via the Russian cellular telecommunications network.
The SBU said in a statement on Wednesday that during the operation, modern drone control technology was used in the operation combining autonomous artificial intelligence algorithms and manual intervention by the operator. Due to signal loss, some drones switched to performing the mission using artificial intelligence along a pre-planned route. When a drone approached and made contact with a specific target, its explosive was automatically triggered.
The SBU said the operatives involved were all back in Ukraine by the time the attacks began. President Zelenskiy said the Ukrainian agents worked across multiple Russian regions in an operation that was 18 months in the planning.”
If you want to read our other published material, please visit https://marcellus.in/blog/
Note: The above material is neither investment research, nor financial advice. Marcellus does not seek payment for or business from this publication in any shape or form. The information provided is intended for educational purposes only. Marcellus Investment Managers is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and is also an FME (Non-Retail) with the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) as a provider of Portfolio Management Services. Additionally, Marcellus is also registered with US Securities and Exchange Commission (“US SEC”) as an Investment Advisor.
